Ours to Protect, Ours to Love
by Atropa13
Summary: Sasuke returns after ten years. He finds Gaara the very same night he comes into Konoha, and the Sand nin is watching over Hinata... who is dead? Sasuke and Gaara joins forces to protect Hinata. MMF, Bi, OOC
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the characters within the Naruto anime/manga. Nor am I making any profit from writing this fic.

**WARNINGS**: Beware of total **OOCness** in everyone. This is made because I like to twist things around so no chopping off certain limbs of mine because you have been warned. I had this story up before att AFF, but took it down because I couldn't find it in me to continue it... Perhaps I can continue it if I get enough pushings.. ☺

**Ours to protect and ours love**

Part 1

_Sasuke's P.O.V._

I was finally back in Konoha village. I looked around. It was not much that had been changed over the years I had been absent. I had left the village in order to revenge my family, to kill the only family member left alive – my older brother. It had been ten years since I had left the village.

And then the bastard just killed himself. Two years of searching and when I found him – he killed himself. Talk about anti-climax. I was so angry that I could have exploded right there and then, but instead I just did as the ANBU did. I cut off his head and destroyed the body. Later on I destroyed the head as well. Nobody would get the secrets of the Sharingan out of my brother.

After that I just drifted around. Now all I had to do was restore my clan, the Uchiha-clan, but that didn't appeal to me. That meant have a wife and bring forth babies. After the thing with my brother I just couldn't go through with it. To go back was not an option for me, or so I thought at the time. And yet, here I stood at the gates that led to Konoha, looking over my childhood's home grounds. I was not all that keen on seeing the blonde dobe, Naruto, nor that pink-headed girl, Sakura that always used a high pitch voice to call my name. So first I had to seek out a place to crash and then somewhere to eat.

The clerk looked at me under thick grey bangs, but said nothing as I checked in to the hotel. Hopefully he wouldn't say anything, but with my luck… Who cares anyway? I placed my bags in the room I've rented and headed out to find a place where I could eat. I found a place that had not been here ten years ago, it was a new place. It looked nice and there were few people there. Perfect for me. I walked inside and found a table close to the window. A waitress came up and gave me a menu. I ordered the first thing I saw and she smiled at me before disappearing. I sat there, just watching out the window, until the food came in. I ate it and enjoyed it. I took my time and when I left I sent my compliments to the chef. The waitress smiled and said she would give the chef his regards.

The evening was warm and I found myself walking through the streets. Never once I saw someone that I knew. Perhaps I did meet someone that I knew before, but they could have change in appearance so that I no longer recognized them. Although I got a few curious looks, not one came up and asked me if I was who I was. My steps took my a bit outside the village and I ended up on my old training ground. My lips twitched in something that could be described as a smile. I looked around and found a small bench underneath a tree. I sat down and closed my eyes. No matter how much I tried to deny it… it felt good to be home again.

○

_Gaara's P.O.V._

Over and over again I came back here. I was not sure why I repeatedly came back to Konoha Village. It was like my soul was looking for something here. Have you heard anything so stupid before? A monster like me having a soul? But there was something here that made me come back time and time again. Although Shukaku was gone, extracted from my body by the Akatsuki, I still scared people half to death with just my appearance. Everybody but one.

Maybe it was her that kept me coming back to a place where everybody feared me? I still remembered the night I saw her the first time I came back to Konoha. I had wanted to visit Naruto, and again thank him for saving me. When I saw her she was standing in the middle of the forest; the moon was shining through the thick leaf-roof. First I thought she was a ghost. I stayed hidden in a tree and looked at her. She was familiar. She had short midnight black hair, her eyes was pearly white. A member of the Hyuuga house, that much I knew by looking at those eyes, but I wasn't sure to who she was.

Then she did something that confused me, she began punching a tree. Silently attacking the tree with her fists. No sound came from her. The smell of blood teased my senses and I licked my lips. I might have been rid of the demon but I still could feel a pull of my old blood thirst. And her blood smelled intoxicating, teasing my senses until I was ready to jump down and take care of her wounds myself… by licking them.

I watched her until she practically made me shit my pants. With one last stroke against the poor tree she screamed and then she fell down on her knees. The blood scent was mixed with the scent of tears now and that made me decide to interfere. I jumped down from my tree and walked over to her. It was something so sad about her that I felt something move inside me. So sad, and so… empty. She flinched when I touched her, but then she relaxed, looking at me with those large white eyes and I for a moment thought that she could see right into my soul.

"Let me help you with that." I said and pointed towards her scraped up hands.

She stared at me with wide eyes; the tears had stopped falling for a moment. I reached into my little bag and found some bandages. I looked around and saw a small pond not far from where we sat. I helped her get up on her feet and guided her to the water's edge. She still gazed at me, as if she thought I was a ghost or something. I cleaned her wounds and put on the bandages.

"You better change that once you get home." I said and rose to my feet. I looked into her white eyes and felt lost in them. I knew I should remember who she was, but before I got a chance to ask her name, she was gone in second. The only thing left was a pillar of smoke.

I saw her again the third time I came back here. I absently noticed that it was a full moon again. But this time I did not approach her. She used the same tree to beat up. And again she ended it all with one loud, heart piercing scream. Her fists were bloody but she had medical supplies with her and she cleaned her wounds in the lake before dressing them.

It was now I remembered who she was. She was the Hyuuga-heir, the shy, stuttering young woman named Hinata. How many times had I seen her here at night and always on the full moon; beating her hands to bloody pulps?

It was many now. I wonder if she knew I was there, watching over her like a guardian angel. Gaara of the sand – a guardian angel, what a joke. But I did protect her. I had even killed three men for her to be safe. It was a night just like this, and they had been rumbling through the forest and stumbled upon my precious Hinata. Their intentions were of pure filth. Rapists. Three kunai was used and then they were gone. She never saw me, instead she ran away. Good girl. Be safe.

Gaara of the Desert – protector of the Hyuuga-heir. Hinata's guardian angel.

○

Sasuke heard a scream echo through the forest and he was up on his feet in 0.2 seconds flat, ready to fight for his life. But then everything became silent. No more screams. He began to silently walk towards the area the scream had come from. The moonlight showed him a small clearing with a pond. A black dressed figure was sitting at the edge of the pond with its hands in the water. But before he could get any closer he was stopped by a swishing sound, he took evasive actions and was barely missed by a kunai. He looked around but saw nothing.

"Stay away from her Uchiha." A voice came from the darkness behind Sasuke. He turned around and saw glowing aquamarine eyes.

"Gaara?" asked Sasuke and saw the figure jump down from a branch.

"Leave before I kill you." said Gaara as his fingers played with another kunai.

"And leave you to have your monstrous ways with her?"

"I will not hurt her. I have been protecting her for a very long time Uchiha." Gaara glared at Sasuke as he took a peak at the figure near the pond.

Sasuke saw the figure rise to her feet and turn around. He recognized her. She was a bit taller than the last time he saw her, ten years ago. She had filled out more too, the child-like look of innocence was gone, but he knew who she was. Hyuuga, Hinata. The shy, stuttering heir to the Hyuuga-house. She was looking right at them now, her eyes curious and confused and then she was gone in a pillar of smoke. Sasuke felt something move inside his chest. Her aura, it had been filled with sorrow and despair.

Gaara relaxed back, knowing that his precious was safe. Uchiha was not a threat to her any longer so he had no need of killing him. He put away the kunai and leaned back against a tree.

"What was she doing?" Sasuke asked.

"She comes here every night when the moon is full. Beat her hands bloody against that tree over there and then she screams. She cleans her wounds and go back home." said Gaara. "She's done it for eight years, maybe longer, I don't know."

"Eight years! And you have been watching her the whole time?" Sasuke did not believe one word of what the red headed monster said.

Gaara nodded even though he was sure that the Uchiha thought he was lying. He was amazed himself. Had it really been eight years since the first time he saw her? Time sure flies fast sometimes. '_And in all this time you have not had the guts to talk to her. You sure are one brave shinobi Gaara.'_ A voice in his head taunted him.

Sasuke heard Gaara snort at something and he raised a questioning eyebrow. But the sand-ninja didn't say anything. But Sasuke was at loss. Why come out here in the middle of the night, beat up a tree and then go home again? That just didn't make any sense at all. And what was up with Gaara?

"You are acting strange Gaara of the Desert. When I left Konoha you could kill anybody without blinking. What happened?" asked Sasuke.

"Why do you care?"

"Just curious. And why Hinata? Why do you protect her?"

"That's none of your business." Gaara snapped at him.

Sasuke smirked. Perhaps there were more human emotions behind the monster's façade after all? But what confused him the most was that he began to feel that it was true.

"And what about you Uchiha, why are you back? I thought you were buried six feet under by now." Gaara said as he began walking away. He heard Sasuke move to follow behind him.

"I don't know, my nose led me back here I guess." Sasuke said. "Where are you staying?"

"Do you think there is anyone in this godforsaken village that would house me?"

"So why come here? Is it only to protect her?"

"I am not sure… perhaps." Gaara then growled. This was getting to cosy for his liking. And by the looks of it, so thought Sasuke. They were getting along just like two old friends. They both snorted but continued to walk side by side.

○

Somehow they did end up at the same pub, sitting at the same table, drinking rice-wine. At first they didn't talk at all, but as the alcohol worked its magic, their tongue was soon loosened. They talked about old times, Sasuke told Gaara about what happened to his brother. Gaara ended up telling Sasuke how he got rid of his demon. Sasuke was surprised, the dobe had done it again. He had gone saving someone and ended up with another friend for life. It stung a bit, knowing that he had been best friends with Naruto and yet Sasuke went off in search of power and in that process tried to kill the blonde idiot.

"So did you ever get any power?" asked Gaara and looked into his cup.

"I went to the snake, but I didn't stay there for long. And then I met my brother and you know the rest. I've just been travelling around the countries trying to find a purpose in life," Sasuke said and humpfed. "So… do you talk to Naruto or something?"

"It happens that I seek him out every now and then. He's good I think. He was a bit pissed that I became Kazekage before he became Hokage…." Gaara smirked when he saw the goofy look on Sasuke's face. '_So the Uchiha can be surprised as well…'_

"When did that happen?" asked Sasuke and gulped down the content of his cup.

"Probably not far after you've left Konoha. You know we were called in by the Godaime to help out Naruto's team to get you back at that time. But I became Kazekage not long after that incident."

"Oh… did you have to fight those creeps that was with Orochimaru then?" mumbled Sasuke and Gaara could've sworn he saw a faint blush of embarrassment on the Uchiha's cheeks.

"Yeah… but we saved the team. You know, my sister said that some of them were in critical condition. They almost died because they chased after you."

'_Great, rub it in some more will ya freak!'_ Sasuke thought and cracked his knuckles, and thus telling the sand ninja that he wished to speak of this no more.

During the evening Gaara got his shared part of glares, but as the evening progressed into a late night, and he still hadn't killed anyone, well he was probably a good guy… for now. Later that night they groggily walked back to where Sasuke was staying. Sasuke crashed on the bed while Gaara somehow managed to find some sort of sleeping position on the couch.

○

The morning came with all the glory of hangovers. Sasuke sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He cursed when his head began to pound and he rose to his feet and dragged himself out to the small kitchen. He heard another groan and knew that Gaara was feeling just as bad. Sasuke filled two glasses with water and found a package of painkillers in his bag.

"Here, it will help against that head ache." said Sasuke and gave the glass and two pills to Gaara.

"This is disturbing you know." mumbled Gaara but was thankful for the gesture and took the offering from the Uchiha.

"Yeah, I know." Sasuke agreed.

They swallowed the painkillers and just sat there, glaring at each other. Now what?

Gaara was the first one to speak again. "So… want to go and have breakfast?"

"Are you asking me out on a date Gaara?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Heee, you wish Uchiha. I'm hungry that's all."

"Alright then."

They each took a quick shower and then they left to find some place to eat breakfast. Or rather lunch, because the clock showed 12.30 in the afternoon. They found a small restaurant and ordered in some food.

But before they got any food a light squeal rumbled through the room, a squeal that almost shattered their glasses of orange juice. Sasuke looked up and then he hid his face behind his hands. '_Gods, tell me I'm seeing things.'_ he silently prayed. Their table was soon crowded by two screaming young ladies. And Sasuke wished that he could turn invisible.

"Sasuke-kun! You are back!" a pink-haired girl said.

"Sasuke-kun, where have you been? Are you alright?" a blonde girl said as she tried to come closer to Sasuke then the other girl.

Sasuke groaned, his headache just got from bad to worse. A thousand and one questions hailed over him but he knew that he couldn't brush them off, it simply would not work. It never had in the past and he seriously doubted it would work now. He swallowed his pride and told them his story. They listened with eyes wide.

"Does the Godaime know about your return, Sasuke-kun? But why are you with this monster? Does the Hokage know that he's here?" snorted Ino and looked at Gaara.

"That's none of your business. Now, will you please leave us alone so we can eat our food without having you drool all over the table?" snarled Sasuke, he couldn't help it, but he hated the way the girls were looking at Gaara. Sakura and Ino gasped and then hmpfed and walked away.

Gaara chuckled as he took a large bite out of his sandwich. Sasuke gave him a smirk and dug into his food. Once they had their coffee it was time for the next familiar face to show up. The blonde dumb was in the house.

"Oh shit, man… I thought they were kidding me… but fuck man! Naruto practically fell over the table in order to hug is former team mate. "You really are back, Sasuke. Good to see you… bastard!

"Yeah, good to see you too dobe!" this time Sasuke smiled. He was a bit surprised though, last time they saw each other he had tried to kill the blonde sunshine. But Naruto acted as if that never happened. And it felt good, he hoped that somehow, in some miraculous way, that Naruto had forgiven him.

"So, tell me all about it. It was kind a hard listening to Sakura and Ino talking at the same time." asked Naruto as he nodded towards one of the waitresses. She nodded back and he soon had a bowl of ramen in front of him.

Sasuke told the story all over again, although he never mentioned how he came to meet Gaara, instead he lied and said that he met him outside the pub last night and they decided to have a drink together. He had said the same thing to the girls too.

"And what have happened here while I was gone?" asked Sasuke and got himself another cup of coffee. "Have the Hyuuga-heir stopped stuttering?"

He felt a glare coming from Gaara, but he wanted to know.

"Hinata-chan? You don't know then?" Naruto said, his voice lowered.

"Know what dobe? Just came back yesterday remember?"

"She's dead. She died a couple of years ago. She had a weak heart." Naruto said as he ate the last of his ramen.

Gaara and Sasuke looked at each other. How the hell was that possible? They saw her last night and Gaara knew that she was real enough because he had touched her. And the screams, not to mention the blood marks on the tree, it was not an illusion created by a ghost. They were real. But they didn't say anything.

But as soon as Naruto excused himself, Sasuke and Gaara left the restaurant and headed back to Sasuke's room. Neither of them said a word until they were inside.

"Ok, something strange is going on." said Sasuke.

"Indeed. I should have known that was more than just sorrow. I should have tried to find out more what happened to her. But dead? That she is not. She's very much alive, trust me – that is something I know." said Gaara and slumped down on the couch.

He rubbed the kanji-mark on his forehead. Suddenly his headache was back in full force. The painkillers, the food or the coffee… it had been a lost cause. '_My precious Hinata… they say you are dead and yet you walks the earth every night at the full moon. You are alive, I know it, I can smell it. Why do they say that you are dead?'_ Gaara's inner voice rambled on, wanting to know more. He looked at Sasuke.

"I must know what happened to her Sasuke. She's not dead. Both you and I have seen her. But why would someone do that to her? Telling everybody that she's dead when she is not?" Gaara asked.

"If someone wants her to be dead, that must mean that there is a new heir to the Hyuuga-house. And when I left there was only one more who could be heir, and that was Hinata's younger sister Hanabi." said Sasuke with a frown. "But I agree with you Gaara… why say she's dead when she's not? That doesn't make sense at all. She would still be a threat to the new heir if she was really alive. And if that is the case… she could be in danger now."

Well that did it for Gaara. His eyes glowed with a fierce blue-green colour. He would protect Hinata at any costs. She was his god dammit! A blush covered his face once he realized that he had said that out loud and Sasuke looked at him and then he smiled.

"Don't you worry Gaara, we both will protect her. The things I remember about her are that she was a shy and very gentle girl. I don't think she have changed much since she obviously accepts the fact that she is officially dead." said Sasuke.

"Why would you help me protect her?" asked Gaara suspiciously, his aqua green eyes glimmering with doubts.

"Because…. Because…. I don't know Gaara. Perhaps I can see that she means a lot to you and she does not deserve a destiny like this." said Sasuke and sighed as he pulled his fingers through his black hair. "Nobody deserves a destiny like that…"

"What is her power? She has gotten to you too, hasn't she? She's a witch, she doesn't even have to say anything, she just appears in the night and then you are caught. She's a spellbinding creature." said Gaara once he realized that his new friend had begun to fall for the ghostly apparition that was Hinata.

"What! Hell no… I have no need for her." shouted Sasuke, but the blush was telling enough.

"You need a woman if you want to restore that clan of yours. And Hinata… I believe she would be the perfect mother to your children. Our children perhaps?" Gaara whispered out the last three words.

Sasuke gaped. Had Gaara really suggested that they would share Hinata?

"She would be well protected with us Sasuke, think about it. We could take her away from here and make sure that she is safe. You could have your clan restored and I… I would be with those who do not fear me." Gaara continued. He looked into Sasuke's eyes. Black onyx met blue aquamarine. "What do you say Sasuke?"

Sasuke swallowed hard before answering. "Well, I will help you get her out from where ever she might be stuck. And then we'll see what happens… ok?"

"Alright, come on. Let's find out what happened to our precious pearl."

'_Our precious pearl… I like the sound of that.'_ thought Sasuke and smiled inwardly. He had to admit to himself that the thought of sharing Hinata with Gaara was not so bad after all.

T B C

If you have survived all the OOCness so far - please feel free to review.  
Flames makes a perfect barbaque


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER**: Just as in the first chapter. I do not own these characters. They belong to their creator Kishimoto. I only borrow them every now and then and create something that is totally out of the storyline of the anime/manga. And NO no money is being made by me by writing this fic.

**WARNINGS**: Still OOC where ever you go and read.  
**NOTE**: As I go over the chapters that I have already made, things are added, edited or removed... but I try to add on as much I as I can...

** Part 2 **

First things first – a visit to the graveyard. It was now late afternoon when the two men stood at the entrance to the village's graveyard. They walked over the silent, eerie area, trying to find the family grave of the Hyuuga-house. Sasuke stopped a moment by the Third Hokage's tomb stone and sent a silent prayer to the old man's spirit, hoping that he would guard over their coming tasks.

They wandered around quite a bit, but they did found it, but there was something missing. Hinata's name. It was not there. They said she was dead, but why was she not 'buried' here? She was a Hyuuga, she had used their blood line skills and their ways to fight. Had she not been worthy enough to have her name on the family tombstone? They looked at each other for a moment before parting to search the whole area. Perhaps she got her a tombstone somewhere else?

But they looked all over the graveyard they couldn't find anything. The redheaded Gaara could feel his blood boil in agony and rage. He had been an outcast for so long and the only person who had not feared him was dead in the eyes of the public. He had to find her before it was too late. He looked at Sasuke and saw that he too was beginning to get frustrated. Well, the graveyard was a dead end, literary. What was next on the list?

"Kakashi-sensei… if he's still around." said Sasuke slowly. The memory of his stoic, and yet perverted teacher came in to his mind. Perhaps he could help them?

They found Hatake, Kakashi lounging in a tree. In his hand was an orange book. '_Still the pervert and lazy assed sensei Kakashi?'_ thought Sasuke with a smirk.

The masked silverhaired man looked up to see Gaara and Sasuke stroll over to him. '_Now this looks interesting. Gaara of the Desert and Uchiha, Sasuke? Did hell freeze over while I was taking a nap?' _he thought and put the book down to greet the two youngsters. How old were they now? 23, 24 perhaps. He sighed and felt old for a few seconds before he regained his posture. Not the time to dwell in self pity. He could do that later, if he wasn't too lazy of course. Now his curiosity was peaked and he wanted to satisfy it.

"Good afternoon gentlemen, what can I help you with?" asked Kakashi as he eyed them. He didn't trust Gaara for a minute even if Naruto often went around yelling that Gaara was one of the good guys now, and he was unsure about Uchiha, that boy had been gone a long time and the hardness in the youngster's eyes was slightly frightening, making the old teacher's hair stand on end. '_Wouldn't surprise me at all if this is Orochimaru's work…'_

"Kakashi-sensei, good to see you again." said Sasuke politely and bowed to his old teacher. The copy ninja would always be honoured by the last of the Uchiha.

"Sasuke, it is nice to see you too. There was a rumour a couple of years ago that stated that you were dead." Kakashi said. "But I am glad to see that you are still among the living."

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei, but I can assure you that I am alive and well. Most likely my name was mixed up with my brother, he's the one who is dead. You know Gaara?"

Kakashi blinked as the subjects shifted quickly. '_Itachi is dead! How? I must ask about Sasuke about it later.'_

"Of course, but there is something different about you this time, Gaara of the Desert, what happened?" asked Kakashi as his uncovered eye watch the redheaded youth.

"Freedom Kakashi-san." answered Gaara, gaining a sour look from the silverhaired teacher. But as the one-eyed sharingan user looked over him, he could see that he was accepted.

"That is good Gaara-san, now tell me – why are you here? I can imagine that you two have stirred up some emotions already."

"We met Naruto earlier… and he told us something that made us very worried." said Gaara.

Kakashi just looked at them, not really sure weather he should believe them or not. They were worried about something? That was highly unlikely if you asked him. These two –worried?

Gaara looked at Sasuke, silently asking him to continue the talking since he knew the teacher since long before.

"Let me tell you what happened last night before I tell you what's worrying us." Sasuke began and then he told Kakashi about the scream he had heard and who he had seen in the middle of the night.

Kakashi eye widened for one moment, and that was when he heard the name Hinata. '_It's impossible. Hinata-sama has been dead for several years. Hanabi-sama was now the head of the Hyuuga-house. She had married a strong man from the branch-house and is expecting the new heir to the Hyuuga-throne. But Hinata-sama is dead. She died of heart failure. They must have seen a ghost or an illusion or something.'_ the former teacher thought as he carefully watched their eyes. They didn't lie; they believed that they had seen Hinata.

"I can see that you do not believe us Kakashi-san," said Gaara. "But we speak the truth. And surely you must have heard the screams sometime during the last eight years."

Kakashi had to concur to that. He had heard the screams and the talk that went around the village said it was a banshee that haunted the forest. '_If she is held captive, why doesn't she escape? Why just accept that someone have officially killed her? Could she be blackmailed into silence, to just accept her fate?'_ Then again, Hinata never did anything to go against anybody, except for the time she fought her cousin Neji. But she had been badly hurt after that. She didn't oppose herself and she never stood up for herself. She just went with the flow, silently following what everybody thought she should do or say. '_And if she's being threatened not to say anything to anyone… she might just keep herself alive…'_ Yes, that was a possibility. But you can only go so long, and using the nights of the full moon was perhaps her only chance of keeping sane? Kakashi had to admit that it was a possibility. His curiosity was awakened and he said he would try and get Kurenai to tell him about Hinata's sickness.

"Alright boys, I will help you. In return I want to hear everything you two can find out. Talk some more to Naruto and the gang." Kakashi said.

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke said and bowed his head.

"And there is no need to call me that. I am not a teacher anymore. Oh, and by the way Sasuke…. It's good to see you again."

You could almost see him smile underneath his mask. He put away his book and strolled back into the village with his hands in his pockets.

Gaara and Sasuke soon followed. Neji was next on their list. He had been connected to Hinata during their youth; perhaps he knew something more, being her cousin and all even though there had been some complications between them. But Sasuke was fairly sure that Naruto managed to bang some sense into that fate-delirious Hyuuga during their Chuunin exams. They were relieved that Kakashi-san was on their side. The former teacher was a good ally to have. Sasuke must admit that he had missed the lazy assed jounin during the years he had been away from Konoha. That man was as close as a father he could have and he wondered if Kakashi had any clue about that.

The Hyuuga-mansion looked more like a haunted castle than a mansion full of living people. Gaara stood a few feet behind Sasuke and waited. The black haired young man knocked on the door and waited for some sort of answer. The door was opened and Sasuke saw a young woman with pearl white eyes and obviously very pregnant. Gaara gaped a bit, he was not used to watch life grow; he had instead been the one to take it away.

Sasuke let his eyes fly over the petite woman before looking into her pearly orbs. He was fairly sure that this was Hinata's younger sister and it wouldn't take long before it was confirmed.

"Hanabi-san?" he asked.

"Yes…" she answered.

"I am Uchiha, Sasuke and my friend here is Gaara. We are looking for Neji-san. Do you know where we can find him?" asked Sasuke. For a second there was a shimmer of some sort in her eyes, but then it was gone. But he had seen it, and it made his skin crawl. Then she just smiled sweetly at him, and that made him feel even worse. He suppressed a shiver.

"No, I am sorry Uchiha-san; he has not been seen for many years. He left after my sister's demise and has not returned since." said Hanabi and looked sad.

Gaara wanted to growl. '_The little bitch, just who do she thinks she's fooling with that innocent role-play?'_ His fists balled and he wanted to rush forward to twist the answer out of her. But he held his place, attacking a pregnant woman would not improve his status in this village nor would he feel good about it either. But she was lying through her teeth, anyone could hear that and that sent his soul into a raging desire to give her what she deserved. But why was she lying? Was the thirst for power that strong in her? Was the lust to rule the house of Hyuuga so big that she had '_killed'_ her sister in order to gain it? Gaara wanted to rip out her heart.

"What happened to Hinata-sama?" asked Sasuke and saw her eyes change again. He teased her, just a tiny bit, calling Hinata for Hinata-sama and herself for "just" Hanabi-san. He was sure that the pregnant woman in front of him would find that to be utterly annoying. But hey, he had just returned to Konoha. He had no information about things any more.

"She was always a weakling and her heart was no better then her spirit. It just stopped beating one day and she died. It happened eight years ago. Now if you will excuse me, I have other things to do…." said the head of the Hyuuga-house and with that sentence she closed off any further inquiring questions.

Sasuke and Gaara nodded and turned around but were stopped by her voice again. "I suggest that you don't go around and mess with the past. You will bring up many sad memories." And with that she closed the door. The message was clear. They should not snoop around in business that was not theirs.

But it was a bit too late for that. It was their business now and they would not give up until Hinata was with them, in safety. And if they had anything to say about it… it would have be very soon. Their snooping might stir up dangerous emotions within the Hyuuga family, and this might put their precious pearl in danger.

They walked back to the tree where they found Kakashi and waited for the copy ninja to come there. They sat down under the tree.

"So… Neji is gone too. Do you think they got rid of him for real, or did they turn him into a banshee too?" asked Gaara as he fiddled with a long straw. His eyes was a bit unfocused and Sasuke could tell that he was thinking about Hinata very deeply.

"No, he left after they buried Hinata-sama." Kakashi's voice came across the glade and the two youngsters looked up at him. Kurenai was with him. "You remember Kurenai-san? Hinata was put under her command together with Inuzuka, Kiba and Aburame, Shino. She will tell you about Hinata's sickness."

Gaara and Sasuke nodded towards the woman with long wavy, black hair and ruby red eyes. They years had given her some few grey hairs, but it gave her a more mature and charismatic look. Her fleeting and spellbinding charisma was strong and the wisdom in her eyes was telling enough.

She looked at them and made a mental note that she would ask Kakashi-san to forgive her. She had not believed him when he told her that Gaara of the Desert and Uchiha, Sasuke had teamed up together and now it looked like they were friends. Very good friends too. But here they were, sitting next to each other under a tree, discussing just like two friends who went back a long time. '_Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways.'_ she thought and sat down on her knees in front of them.

"Gaara-san, you have seen Hinata-chan? In the flesh I mean? Because if you are lying to me…" she let the unspoken threat seep in to them. She was still a master of genjutsu. She could send them into a hypnosis that would crush every little bone in their body and they would still be a live to feel all the pain that came with it and she wouldn't have to put a finger on them.

"She's alive; I have seen her the nights of the full moon in a place not far from here. It was in the small clearing with the pond. She goes there to… train is the wrong word, but she beats up a poor tree until her hands are bleeding. The first time I saw her was eight years ago. And during that first time I touched her Kurenai-san, her hands were warm and her blood is real enough." said Gaara and looked Kurenai straight in the eyes. He still remembered how sweet her blood had smelled that very night.

'_He's telling the truth, I can sense it. Hinata-chan… she's alive!'_ Kurenai's heart began to beat faster and she felt her face flush with emotions. Her little Hinata was still alive.

Sasuke saw it and made a snort. Women, always so emotional. But there was something that was moved inside him. Hinata still had people that cared for her even if they had thought she was dead and this was only a good thing.

"So what happened? They say that she died because she had a weak heart." Sasuke said and let his charcoal eyes bore into her red ones, demanding answers. He wanted to know what could have caused Hinata to fade away into darkness.

"It was Hiashi-sama who said that Hinata-chan was sick. At first they cared for her at the house. But then her condition got worse and she was hospitalized, we all visited her and she looked as if she was very sick. But Hiashi-sama never let the Godaime-sama or even Shizune-san to treat her. But at the moment, we were so worried that we… I never thought about it until the end. She has always been pale, but now it was like her skin was more transparent. Dark rings around her eyes. I visited her the day before she died. But she was being drugged due to the pain she was experiencing, so she couldn't talk. But she smiled at me. Gods in heaven… that smile. It has haunted me in my dreams. She looked so…" Kurenai bit her lip as she forced the tears back into their caves. She refused to cry like a young girl in front of the guys. She was not a weak woman. She took a deep breath. "She looked so sad… so empty."

Gaara realized that the woman had described his precious pearl just the way he had done the first time he saw her. Sadness, it was like her whole persona was made of sadness. '_But don't you worry Hinata… you'll soon be safe with us.'_ he thought and closed his eyes. But where was she buried then?

"Kurenai-san? She's not buried in the family grave… so where was the burial held?" Gaara asked and looked at the woman again.

"Hiashi-sama said she was unworthy so he put her in another part of the graveyard. If you don't know where it is, you will never find it." said Kurenai with a snort. Her hatred towards the Hyuuga-clan had been growing for along time, but now… now they certainly had made a formidable enemy in her. And by the looks of it, Hiashi-sama should be glad that he died two years ago. Because if Kurenai got her hands on him now, his treasured Byakugan blood line would not help him for two seconds. She would have crushed him like the bug he was, under the heel of her foot. And bring in Kakashi, Gaara and Sasuke… he would not stand a chance against them. And now… if only the truth was known, Hanabi-san would not be the Hyuuga-ruler for very much longer.

"So what do we do now?" asked Sasuke and looked at his former teacher.

"Why don't we try and figure out where Neji-san went?" suggested Kakashi.

"You and I can go Kakashi-san; the boys can stay here and talk to Hinata's friends. I'm sure they want to know about this too." said Kurenai.

"I don't think it is wise to talk too much about it. We may have already endangered Hinata's life by just searching for Neji-san at the Hyuuga-mansion." said Sasuke and silently cursed himself for that mistake.

"I believe that you are correct Sasuke-kun." said Kakashi-san and nodded. "Kurenai-san and I will go on a search for Neji-san. If he has not covered his eyes too much, he would not be too much of a trouble to find."

"So no talking with the loud mouth and his friends?" Gaara asked.

"You said it your self, loud mouth. Naruto would probably bring on an earthquake with his voice, shouting her name in the Hyuuga garden. That would most likely get her killed," said Kakashi and you could barely see a sad smile under his mask. "Naruto is too emotional in this matter."

"He's got a kind heart, but a very strong voice. That is not a good idea Gaara-san," Kurenai agreed with the copy ninja.

"What about her former team-mates, Kiba-kun and Shino-kun?" asked Kurenai seconds later, her right forefinger tapping her cheek. "Not Kiba-kun, he's too emotional just as Naruto-kun, but you could go to Shino-kun, he will perhaps be of help. He's not a loud mouth like Kiba-kun or Naruto-kun and he has a good and rational mind."

"Shino as in Shino, the freaky bug-boy?" asked Gaara. In his mind eyes he saw a young man in a large coat that covered most of his face if he wished and black shades.

"Aburame, Shino… yes. But he's very reliable. Find him and talk to him." said Kakashi as he rose to his feet. He held out his hand to Kurenai and helped her up as well. "We meet here again in five days. Good luck boys!"

T B C

Still want to give me a thought or two (unless all the OOC has not killed you).. please do so.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters with in the Naruto anime/manga. I am not making any profit from writing this story.**

** Part 3 **

Gaara and Sasuke decided to look up Shino in the morning. Today had been a strange and yet very stressful day. They picked up some groceries before they went home to the small hotel apartment that Sasuke rented. But when they came back to the little flat Sasuke was ready to commit murder, they knew they had company. Yamanaka, Ino and Haruno, Sakura was sitting in front of the door. Sasuke mumbled a dark curse under his breath.

Their eyes were enough to tell him that this was not going to be easy. They would not give up as they had earlier this day. He still could have nightmares with them chasing him. His little fan-club. Something that he certainly could do without. He sighed and hoped that he would live to see the next day.

"Ino… Sakura… Good evening," Sasuke said with a curt nod.

"Alright buster, now you have a lot of explaining to do!" stated Sakura and placed her hands on her hips and glared at her childhood crush. She was not going to give in this time

"I'm sorry… I don't understand," Sasuke said, biting the inside of his cheek in order to keep himself from striking out at her. He surely did not like the tone she was using at the moment. Alright, given the fact that he had been away from the village for ten years, but god damn! Couldn't they have found something else to obsess about rather than him? Wasn't there another poor guy that she and that blonde girl could harass instead of him?

"Why did you ask about Hinata-chan?" asked Ino and stood up and put her hands on her hips as well, trying to look intimidating. Which she of course failed miserable with. For a second Sasuke thought he was looking at two little penguins… wobbling back and forth on their heels.

"I don't see how that is any of your business." said Sasuke and pushed between the two glaring females. He put his key into the keyhole and unlocked the door. He saw Gaara push between them as well, but as he entered his small apartment he tried to keep them outside; but that was a whole other thing. They forced themselves into Sasuke's small apartment and continued to glare at him, and every now and then they shot a sinister look on Gaara.

"Don't do you dare shut us out. You come waltzing into town and starts asking question about Hinata-chan. That is very strange don't you think?" snorted Sakura as she slumped down on the couch. "Naruto and I was your team-mates, do you ask how we have been? Noo… you had to ask questions about her… why her Sasuke-kun? Please tell me, I think I deserve an answer to that!"

"Still, I don't see why it is your business to why I ask questions about certain someone." said Sasuke as he felt his patience run low. If these two didn't give up he would probably kill them on the spot. Who would miss them except their parents? Ohh, he had such nice ways how to get rid of them in his head at the moment. Each and every one just as pleasurable as the last on to how to make them disappear. He was sure he could get Gaara to help him as well because a quick look at his newly found friend's face was quite easy to read.

"Perhaps I was asking about her because I came back here to propose to her, have you ever thought about that?" Sasuke asked as his dark eyes wandered from one to the other. "She was the only one of the girls in this village that I found attractive. And she was the only girl that didn't squeal her lungs off when she saw me. That girl gave me dreams during the time I was away that could put Kakashi-sensei's book into the PG-13 shelf. Unfortunately she only had eyes for Naruto, so I decided to let a couple of years pass before I returned, perhaps she would have gotten over her childhood crush." Sasuke's voice was now stone cold. "But when I heard she was dead it was like being thrown down into the darkest and deepest pits of hell."

Gaara went into the kitchen and placed the groceries into the fridge and the cabinets. He smiled when he heard the gasps coming from Ino and Sakura. He knew of Sasuke's female problems when they were younger, and you would have thought that they would have made some progress over the years. Matured or something, but they were acting just as they had when they were thirteen years old. Not a thing had they learned nor had they moved on with their lives. Pathetic. He put in the last things in the fridge and turned around, clearing his throat.

"I am amazed." Gaara said and looked at the two young women. He did not look at them at first but then he turned his sea coloured eyes towards them and you could almost see the blood lust shimmering inside them.

"What!" snarled Ino and turned her blue gaze towards the sand ninja. '_Who the hell put money into the sand monkey?'_

"I can never say that I had much contact with girls or women in my life, actually, my sister is probably the only one that ever dared to be close to me. She has given me a few pointers about women and I must say – what she said is nothing near what I see in you two. But I sincerely never thought you actually were this dumb," he said and he could feel his chakra building up around him and then he continued. "What if Sasuke here had found a wife already and had some kids, but decided to visit the town for old time's sake? Or as he now said that he might have come back to see if Hinata-san was over Naruto-san so he could ask her to marry him? Would you act the same then? Most likely, have you not grown up at all? You two are pitiful creatures. You have no right in judging him, nor do you have any rights to own him, so why don't you just leave him alone?"

Sakura felt her soul shiver as the sand ninja's eyes began to glow dangerously. He didn't carry around that spooky gourd on his back anymore, but he still bore the aura of someone really dangerous. But then she became angry. She had waited for Sasuke to return and now she was being blown off because of something stupid that they probably had made up just to get rid of them and what the fuck did that sand nin mean that her Sasuke wanted to marry Hinata? That girl had been shy and stuttered when ever she was spoken to. The girl had been weak and nothing that her Sasuke-kun would bet his money on, she was sure. He wanted a strong woman and she was just that woman for him.

"Now listen here mr. I-can-crush-any-bones-I-wish-with-my-sand… Why don't you just stick your head in a sand box and act like an ostrich and think you can disappear? You were never welcomed here, not back then and certainly not now, so why don't you take a hike and remove your presence from our town!" she spat, angry that he pointed out that Sasuke already could be married and have kids. Her Sasuke-kun was waiting for her and then they would marry and live happily ever after.

'_Wrong thing to say Sakura-chan.'_ thought Ino as both Sasuke and Gaara moved to stand side by side. '_Now you have done it.'_ The energy in the room shifted quickly and Ino knew it was time to make a quick disappearance act. She grabbed Sakura by the hand and dragged her out of the flat. Staying around would most certainly spell death and Ino have still a few things she wanted to do in her life. Sure she felt flattened by the things that both Sasuke and the sand ninja had said, but she treasured her life. Sakura was yelling to Ino to let her go so she could show that sand-nin what he deserved but Ino refused to let go.

"**Let me go, Ino!**"

Ino let her go when they were out of the hotel. She looked at her starry eyed friend and she became afraid for that pink haired woman.

"Sakura-chan, you don't know what you stirred up in there do you? This is for the best. I don't think we should talk to either of them any time soon. That just might get us killed." hissed Ino as she pushed Sakura in front of her, they were getting curious looks from the inn-keeper who looked at them through the window but Ino just smiled as innocently as she could before they moved down the street. Sakura would probably fry her until she was crispy once they reach some form of privacy but at the moment Ino couldn't care less about that.

○

Sasuke was grateful for Gaara's help. If it had not been for the red head's help he would have still have two annoying things attached to his hips. He agreed with him though. They were pitiful. Thank the gods that the blonde seemed to have more respect for her life and at the same time care enough about her friend to drag her out of Sasuke's rented apartment.

"Thank you Gaara, I don't think I could have gotten rid of them myself. They never listened to me in the past and you saw what they were like now. They just don't listen…" said Sasuke as he slumped down on the couch. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. Man, this hangover would probably not go away until tomorrow.

"I don't understand how you ever got through your younger years with those two hanging around." Gaara said with a smirk.

"Actually…. I don't understand it either. They are such a noisy problem."

Gaara laughed softly and walked to the fridge and grabbed two beers. He threw one bottle to Sasuke who caught the beer easily. Perhaps they could ease their head aches with a new drunken haze? Gaara looked out the window and saw that the girls were moving down the street. The blonde dragging the bubble gum haired behind her. He snickered before sitting down on the floor next on the opposite wall of the couch. They raised the bottles to cheer to something unspoken between them.

Gaara took a deep sip out of the can and then he looked at Sasuke, a frown evident on his face. "So… did you ever think about Hinata when you were gone?" he asked as he placed the beer-can on the floor next to him.

"I would be lying if I said that I didn't. Of course I thought of her. But I also thought of you, your team mates, Naruto, Sakura…." said Sasuke and looked out the window. The darkness had fallen and the moonlight was shining through the curtains.

"In what way did you think about her?"

No names were needed. Her… that was Hinata.

"I felt sorry for her, she had the will to want to change and yet she was pushed back into her shoes because of her father and that stupid family she had born into. So yes, I felt sorry for her," said Sasuke truthfully.

"She was not meant for fighting Sasuke, to fight is not her way. She's good with ointments, salves and healing. Naruto said he got a small jar during the exams. He still has it and he says it heals even better than the nine tail's chakra sometimes. A person with that kind of knowledge should be saving life, not training to take it away." said Gaara and remembered how she had walked over to Naruto and to given him a small jar of healing ointment.

"A soft, warm and loving young girl she was. But the woman in the full moon forest… she has changed Gaara-kun… I wonder… if she was put up in a contest today – I think that she most likely would wreck some havoc on her "enemy"…. Probably enough to make him seek up a hospital…. Or bow to the Angel of Death…"

Gaara nodded. He had sensed it as well. The woman in the forest was the embodiment of sorrow and power. Anyone who went against her would probably end up in a hospital with their chakra paths in disarray. They finished their beers and said a silent good night to each other. Tomorrow would be a new day and hopefully a step closer to finding Hinata.

○

Without saying much to each other, Gaara and Sasuke worked their way through breakfast and with a silent nod they exited the small apartment and headed towards the Aburame residence. It was bug boy himself that opened the door and they could see that he raised his eyebrows a bit in surprise to see them standing outside his door, but he invited them inside and showed them into the kitchen.

"We are here to talk about Hinata-san," said Gaara and noticed that Shino stiffened hearing his former team-mate's name.

"She's still alive Shino-san," said Sasuke.

"How do you know this?" was Shino's only answer, but you could easily detect that he was shaken by the news.

"We have seen her." said Sasuke. "And Gaara here have seen her in the woods during every full moon for the last eight years Shino-san. She's still alive."

Silence.

"We want to help her, Shino-san." said Gaara. "We think that she's held prisoner in the Hyuuga-mansion by her sister and her husband."

Shino still said nothing, he just looked at them behind his dark shades. He wanted to see if this was some kind of twisted joke by the two power hungry ninjas, but he could only detect sincerity in their eyes.

"Have you ever been inside the Hyuuga-compound?" asked Sasuke.

Shino nodded.

"Are you familiar with its surroundings?" asked Gaara. '_This guy is even less talk-active than me…'_ he thought grimly.

Another nod from Shino.

"Are you willing to help us get her out of there if a possibility to do so is given?" asked Sasuke.

"Absolutely." Came the answer from Shino and they could see the determination in his posture. If memory served them correctly, Shino and Kiba and his dog, would give their life to protect Hinata. And if she now was alive even if her family said she was dead… they had another ally against the coldness of the Hyuuga-family.

Gaara told Shino the story about how he met Hinata the first time and how he had protected her throughout the years. And Sasuke told him how he had met the shy lily the other night. The bug-using ninja just nodded and gave his silent agreement.

Sasuke told Shino to come to the meeting-place to talk some more with Kakashi and Kurenai. Hopefully they would have found Neji by that time. Again Shino silently nodded and after that the meeting was over. But Sasuke could almost feel the emotions flaring around Shino and he turned around in the door to look him.

"Shino-san, don't overreact now. Keep quiet and once we have more flesh on the matter, then we will strike to free Hinata-san." said Sasuke.

"I understand." said Shino and closed the door.

Gaara looked at Sasuke. "Do you think he will be able to wait for three more days?"

"He must, or else everything might have been for nothing. And he will not do anything to endanger her safety." said Sasuke with a knowing grin.

"Good. Now what?"

"Perhaps lunch?"

Gaara nodded, lunch would be good.

○

Kurenai and Kakashi found the first signs of Neji's whereabouts two days later. And they found him a day after that. He was just drifting around, helping those who paid the best for his services. Kurenai was the one who approached him. She said three words to Neji once the formal greetings had been made.

"Hinata is alive."

Neji's white eyes flashed before becoming dull again. His hands balled and he nodded.

"I will come with you." was all he said and turned around to resign form the mission he was about to embark on. Hinata was more important to him then any mission, no matter what the pay was.

On the way back home to Konoha, he attacked Kurenai and Kakashi with questions about Hinata and why they had come to believe that she was still alive. And the two answered his questions as best they could. But when they said that it was Gaara and Sasuke that could provide him with the more vital answers he just looked at them as if they had gotten a brain damage.

Neji was confused. Gaara of the Desert and Uchiha, Sasuke had teamed up to free Hinata-sama? Two of the strongest ninjas around, and the two that exceeded him in being a cold, seemingly uncaring figure. They were the ones that had found out that Hinata-sama was still alive and now wanted justice to be done? That was a shock indeed. But Kakashi and Kurenai had sworn that the two would give their lives in order to get Hinata out of her prison and that was enough for Neji. '_Hinata-sama…. if this is true? If you are still alive… I will make sure that your torment will be avenged'_ he silently vowed as they traveled back to Konoha village.

○

If Hinata knew how many champions she had on her side at the moment she would be very embarrassed and say that it was not necessary. But at the moment she had no idea of what was going on in the village. She was sitting in her underground room and waited for another meal. She had her night, the night of the full moon when she escaped her imprisonment and found a way to get rid of her frustration of not being strong enough to go against her father and her younger sister. They had "killed" her. They had said that Neji would pay the prize unless she did as she was told. She loved her cousin even though he had hated her, but after the Chuunin-exams he had acknowledged her and said he would help her with her training. So her family knew about the platonic love she held for her cousin. And they used it.

Hinata could feel tears roll down her cheeks as she remembered the day they had came to the training grounds of the Hyuuga-compound where she was waiting for Neji. They said that he had been imprisoned and if she not complied to the scheme in making Hanabi and her chosen one to rule the Hyuugas, Neji would die. She couldn't let that happen so she bowed to their wishes. She died….

But the moment when the feared sand ninja helped her dress her wounds was a memory that kept her going towards the next day. And she knew that he was around every time she made her little thing during the full moon. And now she had the moment where a pair of charcoal black eyes was doing the same thing, making her through each day, hoping that... '_Gaara-kun… Sasuke-kun… Help me please…'_ she prayed silently in her mind as her head rested on the pillow and she closed her eyes.

T B C

* * *

Please leave a comment... 


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters from Naruto. And I ain't making any money from it either.

WARNINGS: This story is still OOC and will stay that way... I like to twist them around...

** Part 4 **

They all met at the rendezvous point at the given time. Sasuke, Gaara and Shino came first and Kakashi, Kurenai and Neji came a few moments later. Six warriors teamed up to free Hinata from her fateful imprisonment. Now with Neji on their side it would be even easier to get around the Hyuuga-mansion and estate. He had been raised there and he should know of the hiding places there.

His pearly white eyes were looking curiously at Gaara and Sasuke and he knew that they would go to any length to free his cousin. '_How odd, especially Gaara… I never thought he was capable of love and yet I can see that he loves my cousin. Sasuke… why has he come back to Konoha?'_ thought Neji as he looked at the two ninjas. He made a mental note about speaking to them both when they were alone.

Kakashi mumbled something about taking a nap but was slapped over his head by Kurenai. She glared at him before she growled at him.

"We do not have the time for little naps you lazy assed bastard!"

"Kurenai-san, why not." almost whined the silverhaired ninja and rubbed his sore head.

"Because we must find a place where we can plan out our rescue mission, Kakashi-san." said Kurenai.

"My place perhaps? My house is on the outskirts of town, never seen a Hyuuga around there for five years." said Kakashi.

"Well, then I suggest you run along home and make sure that every little piece of Hentai reading is cleared from your rooms. Because I refuse to enter a house that can make you a pervert just by looking into it!" snorted Kurenai.

"Oh, so you mean that you can be transformed into a female pervert? I like the sound of that." chuckled Kakashi, but he regretted his words the next moment because she swapped him over his head again. Perhaps it was best to stop now before she went all crazy with her genjutsu specialties. He used his teleportation technique and disappeared.

The four young men turned around with smiles and began to walk back to Kakashi's house. Even Gaara was smiling and that was something that seldom or never happened.

Kakashi went inside first and cleaned up a bit before letting Kurenai and the boys come in. He put all his adult fiction in a drawer and then said to them that it was ok to come inside. He showed them into his living room and then he disappeared into the kitchen to make them some tea. He could hear Neji ask over and over again if they were sure that it was Hinata-sama they had seen and Gaara snorted. Of course they were sure. He had watched her every full moon over the last eight years.

"They must threaten her with something." concluded Neji after a while. "Or else she wouldn't stay there. They must have something on her that makes her stay. She may be a weak and timid little girl. But she's stubborn and strong-willed."

Kurenai was stunned to hear Neji say such things about Hinata. But he was right. She wouldn't stay prisoner if she could run away. So there had to be something that they used against her in some way.

"But with what can they hold her back?" asked Sasuke and looked at Neji.

"I don't know, could be anything. Perhaps they are telling her that they will kill a certain someone if she runs away." said Neji with a thoughtful look in his eyes. "And since Hinata-sama cares more for others than she does for herself… that would do the trick for them. She wouldn't let anyone come to harm if she can help it."

"I agree with Neji-san. Hinata-chan would never endanger another being, that is not in her nature." said Shino and added his opinion to the situation. "But I think an idea could be for Neji-san to go back to the Hyuuga-house and move in again."

"Are that advisable?" wondered Kakashi and served them all tea.

"It would seem suspicious if he came back now just when Gaara and I have been there asking for you." said Sasuke and sipped his tea. "I say that we wait for the next full moon and take her away."

"How long before the next full moon?" asked Kurenai.

"About three weeks from now." said Gaara.

"Three weeks…. That is a long time." said Neji; his hands itched to beat those who dared hurting his shy cousin. And he still had trouble believing that Hanabi would go to such length in getting her power. She always was an ambitious girl, but this? This was just… Neji gritted his teeth together.

"And Neji should not be seen by anyone else, it could be that the Hyuuga's get hold of the information and that might put Hinata-san in danger. Perhaps you should stay here with Kakashi-sensei," said Sasuke.

"Ahh, Sasuke-kun, please don't refer me to teacher, I'm not a teacher anymore," groaned Kakashi. "It makes me feel old."

"Well, you look old too," snickered Kurenai.

"Look who's talking.." he shot back and yanked her few grey hair she had on her head.

"Ouch… don't do that!"

"A fight between lovers perhaps?" chuckled Shino and got everybody's attention. Then they all laughed, except for Kakashi and Kurenai who looked beet red and then humpfed and crossed their arms.

An hour later Gaara and Sasuke walked back to Sasuke's hired apartment and Kurenai and Shino went home as well. Neji stayed with Kakashi. As for now they had decided to wait and see what was going to happen. Kakashi and Kurenai would use their ninja skills and try to find out more about the last days of Hinata's official life. But they all agreed on that her '_death'_ must have been her father's and sister's idea of getting rid of her as heir to the Hyuuga-clan.

Sasuke and Gaara sat and talked in the small living room of the apartment. Sasuke had made them some tea and Gaara the sandwiches. Somehow they began to talk about Hinata and what would happen once she was free again.

"Do you think she will accept us both Sasuke-kun?" asked Gaara quietly and looked down on the tea cup in his hand. He was afraid that these three weeks up to the next full moon would be the longest in his life.

"I am not sure Gaara-kun, but I think she will be our friend at least," said Sasuke with a soft smile that was way uncharacteristic for him. "But it would be the greatest thing ever if she… if she agreed to be with us. I have never thought of her in this way before, but I think I have come to love her over these few days."

"I never thought I would find anyone to love. I didn't think that I was capable of loving anyone at all. And yet I can not see my future without her." said Gaara and sipped some more beer. "I love her with everything that I am. How often have I not dreamed about having her inside my arms… just feeling her warmth."

Sasuke nodded, he too had dreamed about it these last few days. He still saw her haunting image in the moonlight. "If she agrees with us… we should find us a place to live. A big house with many rooms."

"Many rooms Sasuke-kun?" Gaara looked at the raven haired man and you could see a humorous glimmer in his eyes.

"If I remember her correctly she loved children…" said Sasuke with a smug smile. "And… I would love to have many children with her."

Gaara chuckled and nodded in agreement to that. He could see Hinata with a lot of children. She was the perfect image of a mother, warm and caring. He closed his eyes and saw her in a garden, watching over a couple of children with red hair, black hair, some had aquamarine, black and white eyes. That image brought warmth to his heart.

They broke up in silence and went to bed, falling asleep while thinking about their shy little lily.

○

The next day went uneventful for the two friends. They stayed inside the apartment for the most of the day, only taking a short walk when the sun was about to set in the late afternoon. They didn't talk much, just enjoying each others company. But the silence of their walk was disturbed when they met Naruto. The loud mouthed youth never denied himself, but a cold stare from Gaara made him tone down a bit.

"Sasuke… you know that you two are the talk of the town don't you?" asked Naruto as he followed them back to Sasuke's apartment.

"I suspected as much." said Sasuke and unlocked his door. "But I don't care; let them talk if they want to."

"Ino and Sakura are mad as hell because Gaara told them off the other day." continued Naruto and got a pained look in his blue eyes.

"Still in love with Sakura I presume?" said Sasuke and Naruto felt a shiver go through his body.

"What happened to you Sasuke? You don't act like you used to in the past."

"Much has happened since I hunted down my brother Naruto. I rather not talk about it. Gaara-kun here has gone through much as well. Weather people believe it or not, we have become friends. And I will not let anybody talk him down." said Sasuke and entered the small kitchen.

"I understand and I will respect your wish Sasuke," said Naruto with a smile. "So, what's up?"

"Not much at the moment. I will be looking for a house of my own. My original plan was to find someone that could help me build up the Uchiha-clan again." said Sasuke and his pale cheeks tainted with a soft pink colour.

Naruto laughed and nodded a bit. "I don't doubt that you will find a nice girl for that. There are many girls here in Konoha village that gladly would help you with that task."

"Don't worry Naruto-kun, he will not take Sakura from you." said Gaara whom had been silent for a long time.

"That never was a secret was it? That I liked Sakura-chan I mean… But I'm not sure anymore though. I don't think that she'll ever give up on Sasuke-bastard here."

"No, it wasn't. But Gaara-kun is right. I have no interest in Sakura, never did although I at one time found it to be the one thing I could beat you in. But that was then… now I have other things on my mind then simple rivalry." said Sasuke.

"You hade me wondering about one thing after our first meeting Sasuke. You asked about Hinata-chan. Why? And don't tell me that it was the first thing you thought of at the moment, you never noticed her when you lived here and went to the same class as her. So why now?" asked Naruto and was surprised when Sasuke handed him a cup of tea.

Sasuke didn't say anything at first. He looked as if he was in pain and Naruto got worried. This was not like the choked up Uchiha at all.

"I will tell you after the next full moon. Right now I don't have all the answers to your question," said Sasuke and avoided Naruto's blue gaze. "If you promise not to ask more of this I will tell you later."

"Alright Sasuke, I promise, but the first day after the full moon, I want some answers from you." said Naruto and nodded firmly with his blonde head. "You have changed, but I will wait because I consider you to be my best friend."

"Thank you Naruto." said Sasuke. He was a bit bewildered that Naruto actually had agreed to wait for his answers. Naruto had always been the inpatient one and now he showed signs of being a grown up, and adult. Sasuke smiled inwardly. Well, if he could change and Gaara could change, who said that Naruto couldn't change too?

Gaara made his silent thank you to the blonde man as well even if this one didn't know of Gaara's involvement with the Hyuuga-heir. They continued to talk about what had happened in Konoha village after that Sasuke had left.

Not much had happened though. Nothing dramatic anyway. Iruka and Kakashi had retired, Kurenai was still teaching, but not to the same extent as before. Ino worked in a flower-shop, Sakura was working at the hospital. Naruto himself was now a teacher himself at the Academy. The evening became night and Naruto stood up and stretched his limbs.

"It has been my pleasure guys, but I must be going if I am to handle those brats tomorrow." he said.

"Brats? Not too long ago you were one of those brats too Naruto," said Sasuke with a smile.

"Yeah I know, but I grew up," said Naruto with a gentle smirk.

"I guess you did. Well, we will see you around?"

"You bet… good night."

And with that Naruto exited the apartment, leaving two friends to go to sleep.

○

Shino sat outside his home, listening to the stars. '_Hinata-chan… I am not sure that I dare to believe that you are alive and yet I have no reason to doubt them. Gaara… I think he has become a very good man Hinata, and if we get you out of that hell-hole that is your home at the moment, I hope that you will consider taking him as your friend. But knowing you correctly you already see him as your friend. You always cared for everybody, even him when he was a monster.'_

He removed his dark shades and rubbed the bridge of his nose. With what rights had he to call another for monster, he was no better himself. He had bugs inside his body that would do his fighting for him. The freaky bug-boy… He knew what he was called by the others. He could only hope that there was someone out there for him as well. Until then he would have to walk the path of life alone. He went inside and into his room. He took a shower before heading to bed. Tomorrow he would use some of his bugs to do some scouting inside the Hyuuga-mansion.

○

A week passed with a snail's pace. Sasuke managed to find a house that was suitable for his future needs. He invited Gaara to live with him. There would be rumours about them, but he didn't care about it. They could think what they liked. Actually, he found it to be quite funny. '_Well, it does look rather suspicious. The long lost son of the Uchiha returns and moves into a house with Sabaku no Gaara. That gotta make me a guy-lover ehh?'_ Sasuke laughed softly at the thought. He would have thought that the idea with two guys being intimate would disgust him, but it didn't. Perhaps he… no, he shook his head. He wouldn't go down that alley of thoughts as of yet.

Shino had sent a message to them, saying that there was no talk out of the ordinary at the Hyuuga-compound, nothing about Hinata at all. Actually, the atmosphere in that place could easily kill a person with its coldness. Shino had not even found some warmth between Hanabi and her husband. They just acted as if they were ruthless business partners. Shino said it made him feel very uneasy. The others took him seriously and said their thanks for the information. Naruto helped Sasuke to move into the house and also helped them find some more furniture for the place.

It was a big house; it held seven rooms, a large kitchen and two large bathrooms with Jacuzzi in one and an ordinary bathtub in the other one. There was an attic as well as a basement. It was indeed a place to raise a large family. For once in his life, Sasuke was happy that he still had his clan-fortune. And with the help from his friends, he could make it even bigger. And since the genius Neji was an ally and Gaara's sister Temari was married to Shikamaru, a man known for his splendid analysis of things, he could make his fortune grow bigger and secure the future for his family to be.

○

Now it was only one and a half week until the next full moon. Sasuke invited the rescue team to the house. They came in the cover of the night and they sat in the basement. A low, round table was set in one of the rooms there and candles lit up the place. Tea and small snacks had been placed on the table and Kakashi took it upon him to serve the others. Kurenai smiled at this, the old pervert really could handle himself in the presence of other… occasionally anyway.

"Have you heard anything from the Hyuuga's?" asked Kurenai and looked at Shino.

"No, nothing. There was some talk about Sasuke-kun's return and his involvement with Gaara-kun, but that was only a mean mind talking," said Shino, he hoped that they would settle with the answer because he did not want to repeat what he had heard word for word.

"That was expected, but let them talk if it amuses them," said Sasuke with a snort.

"Well, it is kind of suspicious when two young men move together in a big house," said Kakashi and smiled underneath his mask. And as always he was there with his sexual innuendos.

"That is just perverts like you who think about that." growled Kurenai and looked evilly at Kakashi who hid behind Neji.

"But that would prove to be a good cover," began Neji as his white eyes got a thoughtful look. "If they think that Gaara-kin and Sasuke-kun are lovers, they would never look here for Hinata-sama. She could hide here in the basement until we have dealt with Hanabi and her monstrous husband."

He could still see that large, older man before his eyes. He had met him once before he left the village and this man was nothing to play around with. But with the team they had now, they had a chance to take down the Hyuuga-family.

"As soon as we have taken Hinata-chan to safety and what it is that is making her stay there and then we let the others in on what is going on. This is far more serious then just deceit, this is treason against a young woman's life. She has to be avenged in one way or another even if she says that it is not necessary, and knowing Hinata, she would hate to see someone get hurt," said Kurenai with a frown. But hear heart was boiling to revenge the young woman.

"I agree with you Kurenai-san. Hinata-chan's nature is truly a kind one, but they must receive some form of punishment for their actions." said Shino. "And if Kiba-kun hears of this, well I think that he would go on a rampage. He thinks of Hinata-chan as a little sister."

"He's not the only one Shino-san." said Neji and smiled gently. "I have come to love her more like a sister than a cousin and I think that you are feeling the same thing Shino-san. And Kurenai-san sees her as a daughter and Kakashi-san… well I don't know about him, but we all love Hinata-sama in one way or another. If we had not, we wouldn't be here."

Everyone nodded to that statement.

It was agreed that night that Gaara and Sasuke would be the ones to take Hinata away and the others would gather the rest of the gang to make sure that the threat that kept Hinata to hide away was destroyed. Nothing would get to their precious person again.

T B C

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Thank you all for the reviews and support.  
I feel so giddy just reading each and every one of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in the anime/manga. Nor am I making any money from this story.**

** Part 5 **

Gaara and Sasuke sat in a tree not far from the place where Hinata came every full moon. They had been sitting there since the nightfall and now the moon was up and was shining through the feather like clouds in the sky. Gaara felt his stomach turn inside out as the figure came into the small clearing. That aura around her was the same as it always had been – alone, sorrowful and the despair just stood like a foul smelling cloud where ever she sat her foot.

He looked at Sasuke and they both nodded and then they jumped down from the tree. They were soon at her side. She looked at them with confusion and surprise. Sasuke smiled and took her hand. She was slightly cold to the touch, but the night air was chilly so it was no surprise there.

"Sasuke-kun?" her voice was like a soft whisper in the wind.

"Hinata-chan, come with us and we will help you," said Sasuke and felt his heart cringe as her eyes expressed horror and sadness.

"I can't… if they find out that I'm gone they will kill Neji-niisan," she mumbled and looked away with tears in her eyes. Gods, it still hurt to know that her cousin could be dead within the hour if she escaped.

It was like they had guessed. Sasuke gritted his teeth together as he tried to suppress the anger he felt flare up inside his heart. He was going to kill the lot of them… Let that bitch of a sister give birth and then kill her too… But he knew that Hinata never would agree to such an act of violence.

"Hinata-chan, is that what they have used against you?" growled Gaara and his hands balled into fists. "They have been telling you that they will kill Neji-san?"

Hinata nodded and kept her eyes on the ground. She could feel her hands tremble and it got worse when hot tears began to fall from her eyes. She was still the weak one. She couldn't even face them; all she could do was cry… cry and fiddle with her fingers like she always had in the past.

"Hinata-chan, Neji-san is safe. Nothing will happen to him. He left Konoha when he thought you had died. But Kakashi-san and Kurenai-san have brought him back. He's safe and sound and is staying at Kakashi-san's house," said Sasuke.

Her teary eyes widened when she heard this. She looked between Gaara and Sasuke. And then she grabbed Gaara by his collar and pulled him closer to her in an act that was way out of character for her otherwise so timid person.

"Is he telling the truth Gaara-kun? Please don't lie to me…" she begged.

"He's telling you the truth. Neji-san is safe. He's living with Kakashi-san," said Gaara and put his hands over hers. He could feel them tremble and he wanted to kill something or rather someone for making her believe such things, making her disappear from everyone that loved her dearly.

"Come with us now. You can no longer stay in the Hyuuga-house. You must come with us now. We will protect you," said Sasuke. But she was still reluctant to go, as if she didn't really trusted their words. "Please Hinata-chan, come with us?"

Gaara made a quick decision and hauled her up on his shoulder like a sack of rise and took off. If they stayed here much longer there could be a chance that someone saw them and alerted the village or perhaps even the Hyuugas. Sasuke knew that the sand ninja was eager to get Hinata to safety and he was glad that Gaara had taken the initiative. He looked around with his sharingan but couldn't detect any suspicious chakra around them and then he followed them.

Hinata was struggling against the hold Gaara had on her. She was still trying to cope with the fact that Neji-niisan was safe. Over so many years she had been told that he would die if she went outside her prison. So she had just used this little window of freedom to rid herself of the pain and anxiety she was feeling. How many times had she not wished for them to just kill her instead of keeping her like a pet in a cage? She was not locked up; they knew that she wouldn't try anything if Neji could be killed. '_Hanabi-chan… why?…Why?' _she cried as she bumped along on Gaara's strong shoulder. He stopped in front of a large house and waited for Sasuke to open the door for him. Once inside he put down Hinata on the floor. He looked at her with blue green eyes; his face was expressionless as usual.

"I… I must get back Gaara-kun," mumbled Hinata and was about to turn around when he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Her face changed colour into a fierce red one as she became very aware of their closeness. "G-gaara-kun?"

"You will be safe here Hinata-chan," he said with an eerie calm voice and felt her tremble against his body. "You will stay here until we have solved the thing with your sister and her husband and the rest of your twisted clan." Gaara didn't hide the despise he felt for the Hyuuga-clan. They could all go and catch the Black Death for all he cared.

"B-but.." she stuttered and looked between them with weary eyes.

"Gaara is right Hinata-chan; you must stay here until we have dealt with them. Your life can be in danger when they find out that you have escaped. They have played on your compassion for others for too long. It is time to change that," said Sasuke and guided her into the kitchen. "Let them know that they will be at _Your_ mercy this time…"

Hinata was gently put down on a chair and Gaara sat down next to her. He took her hand to make sure that she wouldn't try to run off again. He could feel her shake and he growled a bit. That caught her attention and she looked at him curiously. He was unsure how to handle this… it had been working out fine in his head, but now when he was sitting here, having her close and holding her hand his mouth dried up and he couldn't say a word.

Sasuke made some tea and gave a cup each to Hinata and Gaara before serving himself. Hinata was quiet, but she nodded to him when he put the cup in her hand.

"You don't have to worry Hinata-chan. Nothing will happen to you while you are here. And you don't have to worry about your cousin either. He's protected by both Kurenai-san and Kakashi-san. And he's good at protecting himself as well." he said as he brushed his fingers over her hand.

Hinata didn't know what do believe, after so many years of living in fear that she might do something wrong and thus hurting or even get him killed… those fears was not so easily destroyed. She had to see Neji-niisan first to believe her two rescuers to the fullest. But she was grateful for their rescue of her. Since she saw Sasuke the last time, her "prison" seemed to be more fateful, more heavier than earlier.. As if she had gotten a taste of what was outside the walls but was not allowed to touch or even see.

She looked into his charcoal eyes before looking at Gaara. Two handsome young men had come to her rescue, just like the hero in a fairytale. Only they didn't came riding on a big white horse. They had come in the shadows of darkness, just picking her up before disappearing into the night. Well, it was a bit romantic too.

She relaxed a bit and sipped her tea. She saw Sasuke smile and that almost made her choke on her tea. Did he know how devastating good looking he became when he smiled? She stole a glance at Gaara again and she could see his mouth twitch and he provided with something that could pass as a smile too. She blushed and looked back at the teacup in her hand. Two devilish good looking boys had saved her from her humiliating prison. '_Oh… boy'_

○

They were four that stood outside the door to the Hyuuga Mansion. Kakashi and Kurenai stood in the front and Shino and Neji behind them. Kakashi knocked on the door and took a step back when it was opened. In front of him stood the husband of Hanabi. He was rather tall, almost as tall as Kakashi with black hair falling to his shoulders. His white eyes looked coldly at them. You could see all the contempt he held for the four of them outside and Kurenai couldn't help but feel a shiver go down her spine.

"Yes?" the man in the door said as he looked over the two in front of him.

"Hosaki-san?" asked Kakashi and the man nodded. "We have come because you are holding Hinata-sama prisoner here."

The man looked for a short moment surprised, but then the cold mask was back on again. He wouldn't loose face to these clowns.

"Hinata-san is dead," he stated with a snort.

"We have heard differently," said Kurenai and stepped forth, her red eyes glowing dangerously, promising death by genjutsu if he went against them.

"Oh, and who may I ask have been spreading such rumours? That person should be arrested and put to jail for spreading false information," said Hosaki but stiffened when Neji stepped up next to Kakashi. If man could change a face into an ass that was just what Hosaki did this very moment.

"I want to see Hinata-sama," said Neji with a firm voice.

"She's dead," said Hosaki with a snort once he had regained his confidence. "And what are you doing back in town? Shouldn't you pay heed to very thing you said at her funeral? That you had nothing that kept you tied to this village now when she was dead?"

"I came as soon as I was informed that my cousin was still alive. And I want to see her Hosaki-san. Because if she is alive, you will suffer for your treason against the Hyuuga-heir. And you will suffer for the things you have put Hinata-sama through."

"Hmpf, you come with accusations that holds no ground young Neji-san," said Hosaki and put his nose into the air. He was sure that they had nothing to go on. The weak creature was locked inside the mansion and nobody but a very few knew about it.

"He does not. **My** sources tell me that you no longer have her in your care," said Shino who stepped up and looked at the member of the Hyuuga from behind his dark shades. He held a hand in front of him and on his finger you could see a tiny little Kikai bug. "You have two options, get out of Konoha village and pray that we will never find you or stay and suffer the consequences and make penance for what you have done."

"And with what do you have to back up your accusations?" asked Hosaki with a growl. "I don't have time for this. I suggest that you will keep your mouths shut about these ridiculous ideas of yours because you will only cause sorrow for the Hyuuga-clan and please - don't come back here again."

Kakashi gave Kurenai a dark look and she nodded. A curt nod from Shino said the very same thing. By now Gaara and Sasuke would have Hinata in a safe place, they could retreat. But not before Shino have ordered one of his bugs to track Hosaki. The bug would give them the necessary information. Kurenai wondered if the bastard would scream like a little girl if he knew that his hair had been invaded with a small bug?

They stepped away and headed towards Sasuke's house. But they all could see the tension in the Hyuuga leader's face. Neji's presence in Konoha village was not something he wished for. Even if Hinata had been dead, they were fairly sure that Hosaki feared Neji's strength. Kakashi told them that this probably would produce attacks on Neji's life.

But Neji just shook his head. It didn't matter; the only thing that mattered to him now was that his shy cousin was safe.

"You're not safe anymore now that you have shown your face…"

"They can try and take me on if they so wish, Kakashi-san. I didn't spend ten years away from Konoha just to laze around. I've been training, learning new techniques here and there. I know things that the Clan has no knowledge what so ever about. I do not fear them. But I do fear for my cousin's life now. But Sasuke-san and Gaara-san will keep her safe, just as we all will keep her safe from these babbling buffoons."

The last statement even got Shino to chuckle lightly. The former Hyuuga-prodigy could be quite passionate at times.

○

Neji was the first one who took the shy little heir in his arms once they came back to Sasuke's house. He had seen Hinata sit at the table. At first he had just stared as he was looking at a ghost and then he rushed forward and pulled her up into a hug. He could feel her arms go around him and she hugged him back just as tightly. '_She's alive… she really is alive…'_ his mind ranted as he tried to accept the fact that she still was a living, breathing being.

"Hinata-sama…." he whispered in her ear before he pulled away and put his hands on her cheeks. He was crying, he could feel the hotness of his tears as they spilled.

"Neji-niisan…" she cried and pushed her face into his neck. He was safe, he was here with her and he was not going to die because of her. He was safe. She clawed her hands into his back, gripping his shirt tightly as if he would disappear if she let go of him.

Kakashi chuckled a bit when he saw the dark looks that Gaara and Sasuke gave the hugging couple. The boys really loved the shy little shinobi.

Shino was the next one to be hugged by Hinata; the bug-boy was blushing as his team-mate hugged him. He was not used to this kind of intimacy and yet it felt good to feel that she was there, that she was alive and not a figment of his imagination. He made a mental note to apologize to Gaara and Sasuke for ever doubting their words. His bugs was happy too, he could feel it, they had take a liking to the shy girl long ago and they were happy that she was safe.

Kurenai took the girl she saw as a daughter into her arms. She sat down on a chair and cradled the girl like a baby. Talking softly to her, telling her that she was safe and nothing was going to happen to her.

"My little girl… My little baby…" she whispered to Hinata who cried even harder hearing this.

Kakashi gave her a hug and said it was good to see her alive. A skilled healer like Hinata was good to have, he said. She blushed and looked down on her feet. He chuckled again and saw Gaara walk up and take her hand and then they all walked down to the room in the basement.

Hinata was placed between Sasuke and Gaara and that made Kakashi's mind work on hentai overtime. The boys may not talk very much, but they sure were protective around her. They wanted her, and if Kakashi was right, she would be the one to provide Sasuke with his offspring. If she agreed to it of course. The Uchiha boy might be a cold and calculating person, but he would never take a girl like Hinata against her will. '_And he has bought a very big house… he wants a big family.' _That made the lazy ninja smile even wider underneath his mask. His former student was planning for the future indeed.

Hinata was the centre of focus that night. She had to tell them everything about what had happen since her "death". And of course it made her feel uncomfortable. She was not use to all the attention she now was getting from her friends. When she told them that Neji was going to be killed if she stepped outside the mansion and show her face to outsiders, they all clenched their fists, ready to go back to the Hyuuga-house to bang the whole lot of them up. But she refused to let that happen, telling them that her sister was pregnant and that her child was the awaited strong Hyuuga-heir. She would not let anything happen to her sister.

Kurenai was growling in anger. Even now her little girl was protecting her family. She couldn't allow it and she would not allow it either.

"Hinata-chan, you have no obligation to your sister anymore. She's been treating you very badly. No, that is not even close. What your sister has done is beyond what any words can describe. And when the Hokage's hear about this, your sister and her husband and all those who have been in this plot, will be punished, banished or worse," said Kurenai and saw Hinata's eyes widened. "It is true; you are the true heir to the Hyuuga throne. And you have been treated very badly. Something must be done."

All the others nodded and Shino and Neji being those who nodded the most.

"Hinata-sama, what they have done is wrong." said Neji and looked at his cousin with his pearly white eyes. He wanted her to understand that what she had been through must be avenged.

"Your sister has done something unforgivable." said Shino and nodded.

"B-but she's stronger than me… she's much more suitable to run our clan." whispered Hinata and fiddled with her fingers.

This made Gaara snort and he took her hands into his and made her look at him with confusion.

"Hinata-chan, strength is not always measured in how many you can kill. Trust me, this is something I know very well. I was created to be a weapon for Suna to use against Suna's enemies. I was brought up to kill my enemies until Suna turned her back against me and tried to kill me because I was **TOO** powerful. You have a strength that is unknown to me. You have the power of compassion; that is something I never have encountered before. You care for other people and that makes you strong." Gaara said as his thumbs rubbed the upper side of her hands. "But if you will let us, Sasuke and I will be there for you…."

The others around him looked curious and the sand nin frowned and one hand came up and rubbed the tattoo on his forehead and he felt the need to explain his situation for them.

He told them parts of his childhood. He told them how Naruto had punched some sense into him He told them how his village had given him the title Kazekage. But…. he had only kept it for a year or two. He knew that he didn't want to rule a village who feared him like the plague. He just wanted to be a shinobi, a ninja that could go out there onto the front lines and protect them. But after he turned his title over to his older brother Kankurou, the village turned his back against him. He had just walked out, he didn't care much about it… because the very thing he cared about was here in Konoha.

Hinata looked into his sea-green eyes and saw devotion and commitment and that made her blush and of course stutter as she tried to tell him that she wasn't the person he thought she was. But he just told her differently.

"And you will stay here until the problem with your family is solved," Gaara stated with a nod. "And you can not leave this house until it is settled, which shouldn't be too long if Tsunade-sama is informed along with the other Hokage's."

Gaara's voice held a definite edge and she nodded shyly. She would allow them to house her until the problem had been solved. She now knew that her cousin was safe and that her sister and her husband had nothing to keep her in golden chains any more. With a final hug she let Neji leave with Kurenai and Kakashi.

Shino said that he would bring Kiba and Akamaru the next day. The puppy had grown to be an old dog, but he was still alive and was with Kiba whenever they went on a mission. Hinata sniffled a bit and said she would love to meet them again.

Shino smiled and stroked her cheek.

"He will tear up heaven and earth to avenge your injustice Hinata-chan," said Shino. "And I'm sure that Akamaru will find his youthful strength again just to rip their throats out."

"But you will keep him on a leash… I don't want him to hurt my sister," said Hinata.

"He is an emotional guy, but I promise you that I will not let him hurt your sister, but if he goes wild on Hosaki-san, I will let him. I am sorry Hinata-chan, but what they have done to you is unforgivable," said Shino and for a rare moment he pulled down his shades and let her look into his dark eyes.

"I understand Shino-kun… but I hate it when people get hurt," said Hinata and blushed a bit when she got a hug from the bug-using shinobi.

"I see you in the morning Hinata-chan," he said and stepped outside the door.

Hinata waved them off and closed the door behind them. Her soul was trembling and her heart was screaming that she finally was free from her bonds. She did not have to worry anymore. _She was free._

Sasuke came up to Hinata and mumbled something about showing her to her room. She was escorted to a room that was sparsely decorated. It only had a simple futon and a drawer.

"This is your room for as long as you want it to be," said Sasuke and lit a lamp on the drawer. "When everything is over we can take you to buy some more things or get the things you had over at… uhm…"

"Thank you Sasuke-kun," said Hinata and was surprised to see a light blush on the cocky Uchiha-heir's face. That blush made her curious and she had to ask. "Sasuke-kun, s-something wrong?"

Sasuke just shook his head. He was just so happy that she finally was free, that she finally was within his arms reach. He heard her say something again and he looked at her pretty face.

"Yes Hinata-chan?"

"Does Gaara-kun live here too?"

"Yes, we have two rooms across the hall Hinata-chan. So if you need anything – just give us a holler and we will be there," said Sasuke.

"Uhm, Sasuke-kun?" she asked again and put her forefingers together like she used to do when she was younger and unsure of things.

"Yes?" Sasuke smiled when he saw her uncertainty. She was just so precious and now when she had lost some of that anxiety she was even cuter.

"Why do you have such a big house?" she haspled out quickly.

Sasuke smiled and walked over to the door before answering her question. And then he turned around and you could see the shimmer in his dark eyes.

"I want a big family Hinata-chan. I want to have a lot of children running around me." He saw Hinata blush but nod. "Good night Hinata-chan, sleep well." And with that he closed the door, leaving Hinata alone.

Hinata undressed until she was standing in just a pair of boxers and a short-sleeved shirt. She crawled under the sheets of the futon and placed her head on the pillow. For the first time in what seemed to be eons, she relaxed completely and then she fell asleep. Her dreams were not haunted by the images of a tormented Neji or she being put into a small box and never let out again. No, this time she was dreaming about being in the woods with two men, one with black eyes and one with aquamarine eyes. They took care of her every need and around them were children playing, their laughs brought light into her life.

○

Before the sun broke over the horizon Gaara sat next to Hinata. He saw her sleep with a smile on her lips and it made him feel calm. He brushed a few black tresses of hair away from her face and when he did she sighed deeply. '_What are you doing to me Hinata-chan?'_ he asked silently as his fingers caressed her soft cheek. Just feeling her soft skin was making him think about things that he never had thought of before. He had never been the one to have lustful feelings, but he could easily see himself naked in her bed and that made him frightened to some extent. She was the embodiment of love for him and now she was leaning her cheek against his caressing hand. He heard her mumble something about freedom and he smiled a bit. '_Yes, Hinata-chan… you are free now and we will make sure that you are safe with us.'_ He leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and moved to stand up.

When he got up on his feet he saw Sasuke stand in the doorway with a soft smile on his lips. He nodded towards the kitchen and Gaara looked at Hinata one last time before following Sasuke to the dining room. He was a bit reluctant, but he left anyway. Sasuke was smiling and in that smile Gaara could read every emotion the sharingan-user had towards the petite woman sleeping in the room.

Sasuke had seen the tender moment between Gaara and the sleeping Hinata and now he knew for sure that the former monster had a heart in his body. Gaara cared for Hinata more that he would let on to the others. He loved her just as Sasuke had come to love the little woman as well. He knew he should feel some kind of jealousy towards Gaara for touching the girl he wanted to be with, but he couldn't find it in his soul to feel it. Just seeing the sand ninja touch Hinata so carefully, so lovingly made him feel warm inside, as if someone had placed a heater in his belly. Share her with Gaara… no, that was not a problem for the last of the Uchiha's.

T B C


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within the anime/manga. And I am not making any profit from writing this story.

** Part 6 **

_Hinata's P.O.V._

I awoke to hear sounds of birds, they sounded much closer then before. As if they had gotten into my room in the basement. I opened my eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. The panic washed through me. I wasn't in my room, I had to get back before they found out that I was gone. Because if I didn't.. they would kill Neji-niisan.

My heart was beating fast in my chest and my breath became erratic, but then I heard voices. Soft, whispering voices. Sasuke-kun and Gaara-kun…. they took me away last night. The memories of last night flooded my mind and I fell back on the bed. My cousin was safe; he was not going to pay for my disobedience. Tears welled up in my eyes and I drew a shaky breath of relief.

I just lay there, thinking about my life. My trips to the tree of pain, yes, that was what I called it, had been watched by Gaara. I knew he was there, watching over me like a guardian angel. I remembered what the others had said about him and I remembered how he had killed with out so much as a blink during our Chuunin exams. But that boy was long gone and replaced by a young man with flaming red hair and a heart of gold. He was my angel. Why he was watching me during those nights I never could figure out.

He was lonely, just like me. I could feel it in his aura. Perhaps it gave him a purpose to go on, just like his presence made me go on year after year in humiliation. My sister had locked me up in the mansion, telling me that Neji-niisan would be killed if I talked to anyone but her and her husband. I was never allowed outside my room in the daytime. I was kept like a prized bird in a cage. Hosaki-san would sometimes come down and taunt that he was so much stronger than me and that his wife was ten times the woman I ever could dream of to be.

'_Hanabi-chan… your thirst for power has brought you madness.'_ I thought as I rose up and walked over to the window. The birds outside was singing so beautiful that it brought a smile to my lips. This was something I had missed while I was imprisoned. I just stood there, enjoying the warm, fresh air and the bird song. I closed my eyes and relaxed.

But when I heard the door was opened I turned around and saw Gaara stand there with a trey in his hand. He was wearing a pair of baggy cinnabar red trousers and a t-shirt in the same colour. Seeing him in the morning light was something completely different from seeing him in the moonlight. If possible, he was even more handsome in the daylight. I blushed lightly when I realized what I was thinking about.

"I heard that you were up Hinata-chan and I thought you might be hungry," he said with a low voice. A voice so deep and vibrating that I could feel my stomach flutter.

"Thank you, Gaara-kun," I answered and saw him walk over to the futon and put down the trey next to it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked and poured some tea into the cup.

"I was panicking at first, but then I realized where I was and that Neji-niisan was safe," I said truthfully and walked over to the futon and sat down. And when I saw the food my mouth began to water. I had not realized that I was very hungry. In my prison I just got enough food to get me through the day. I never got treats like this.

Gaara smiled a bit and his hand moved up and cupped my cheek and I felt my heart flutter a bit. He was acting so caring, so loving that I didn't know what to do or say.

"Hinata-chan, always thinking about others before herself. But eat your food now. Kurenai-san will come by later with some clothes for you," he said.

I nodded and he removed his hand and I missed the touch already. He closed the door behind him and left me alone to eat my breakfast. I sat down and ate what had been given to me and I wondered if it was Gaara who made it for me.

○○○○○○

Kurenai, Kakashi and Neji came a few hours after Hinata had awakened. Kurenai had some clothes with her that Hinata could wear until they had gotten her wardrobe out of the Hyuuga-house. But Hinata said with a blush that she didn't have much clothes left, Hanabi had forbidden her to have her clothes, they had burnt most of it together with all Hinata's other things. The three young men were growling when they heard this but Kakashi just shook his head. This was not the time to get angry.

"But what I don't understand is why they kept you alive? No offence Hinata-sama, seeing you alive was the best thing that happened in Konoha this past eight years. But if they wanted to be granted power over the Hyuuga-bloodline, wouldn't it be easier to actually kill you?" asked Kakashi as he looked at Hinata.

"Hosaki-san wanted to do it, but Hanabi forbid him to even lay a finger on me. She said something about having her hands clean. Instead they threatened me to go outside the room in the basement, because if I did they would kill Neji-niisan." said Hinata and fiddled with her fingers. "But I was always afraid that one day they would get rid of me. That one day they would have no need for me to be alive."

Gaara made a dark sound and walked over to Hinata and placed an arm around her shoulders as if he wanted to comfort her. This made Neji raise an eyebrow in surprise. He saw the fierce look in the sand ninja's eyes and the softness with which he held Hinata's shoulders. '_I didn't quite believe Kakashi-san when he said that Gaara and Sasuke was in love with my cousin, but I think I have to rethink that now.'_ thought Neji and saw Sasuke walk over to her other side. The two was actually head over heels in love with his cousin. '_I wonder what Hinata will say when she founds out about that…'_ He smiled inwardly when he saw Hinata blush. This kind of attention was not really her thing.

Kurenai was smiling as well. Hinata had two handsome heroes that would do anything for her. Without knowing it she had captured one of the most wanted bachelors in Konoha village and she had caught a ninja that was probably amongst the strongest that ever had lived.

'_My little Hinata, you have grown to be a young woman. But you grew up inside a prison with dark walls. How will you cope with the real life now when you have it in your hands?'_ the genjutsu master thought as she looked at the young Hinata. Kurenai knew that she had to teach Hinata things that were vital to her after coming out of her prison. She held out her hand towards Hinata.

"Come, let's see if your new clothes fit you?" she said and Hinata nodded.

They walked out of the room and back to the room Hinata had been given the night before. Left behind was three young men and Kakashi. The silver haired jounin was smirking behind his mask as he saw Sasuke and Gaara look longingly after Hinata.

Neji was the one who brought Gaara and Sasuke out of their thoughts. They had been looking at Hinata as she left the room and he wanted to know how they were going to solve this.

"You are so obvious that it is frightening," said Neji and made Gaara and Sasuke glare at him. "You both love her very deeply, that I can see. I didn't believe Kakashi-san when he first told me, but now I can see it with my own eyes. But what I don't know is how you are going to solve it."

Gaara and Sasuke looked at each other and the black haired youth nodded. He would speak for them both.

"If Hinata-chan feels the same towards us, she will live with us here. When I returned to Konoha I didn't know what to find. My brother is dead and I am left alone to carry on the Uchiha-bloodline. And when I saw Hinata that night a month ago, I was mesmerised by her appearance. It was like I saw her for the very first time. I love her Neji-san, I love her very much. And I know Gaara here love her just as much. If she wants us, she will be our wife."

Neji had to bite his tongue in order not to gape at Sasuke's words. '_They would actually share her?'_ That both scared him and made him full of laugh. If his cousin agreed to be with them, she would be the single most envied woman in Konoha.

A woman with two husbands, it was not unheard of, but very unusual. And when it happened it was when there were very few women in a village or tribe. But that was not the case in Konoha. And the sand ninja, everybody had thought that he was incapable of loving another human being, and yet he had watched over his cousin over the last eight years.

"I don't know what to believe…" said Neji as the information was processed in his mind. He rubbed his forehead a bit.

"When Hanabi and her husband have been dealt with, you will be one of the strongest members in the Hyuuga-house. You are the one who has to give her away to her husband or husbands. And if she accepts their proposal… " said Kakashi with a lazy voice. "She will no longer be the heir. Perhaps it will be you that takes on the clan's leadership?"

"I am not sure that is a task that I want. I am not proud to be of the Hyuuga-bloodline anymore. Not after Hinata's disgraceful treatment." said Neji with a frown.

"Then it should be up to you to rebuild it to its former greatness," continued Kakashi. The Hyuugas was one of the strongest clans in Konoha and their abilities were very useful. They needed it.

Gaara and Sasuke nodded at Kakashi's last statement. And Sasuke looked as if he was in deep thoughts. He then smiled a bit sheepishly. "And if Hinata has any children, who would be better to train them to use the Byakugan if not you, Neji-san?"

Neji's eyes widened slightly before he nodded. Perhaps it would be good to change the house of Hyuuga?

"Alright, I will do it, but only if Hinata agrees to be with you. If she chooses to go back and rule the house, I will be at her side as her advisor," said Neji with a firm nod.

Gaara and Sasuke couldn't go against that decision. They nodded but they kept a small flame of hope that Hinata would accept them both.

○○○○○○○○

Kurenai and Hinata sat on Hinata's bed. Kurenai talked to her about what had happened since Hinata's "_death"_. And then came the Talk. Kurenai was not sure that if things had progressed as they should, Hinata's father would never talk to his oldest daughter about these things. But Kurenai felt the need to make sure that Hinata knew about it, especially since Hinata was going to live with two young men.

"Hinata-chan, you know you have grown to be a beautiful young lady. You are twenty two years old and you have spent most of your teenage life in a prison. And now you are an adult and yet you have not experienced things that most young women have at your age," said Kurenai and saw Hinata blush lightly. '_Perhaps she knows of some things then?'_

"I might have been imprisoned Kurenai-san, but I had books." said Hinata and fingered at the hem of her new shirt. This was so embarrassing.

Kurenai smiled. '_She might know of things, but she has yet to experiencing them.'_ she thought and looked at Hinata. '_You have grown to be a very beautiful young woman and I am not sure that you are aware of the love that Gaara and Sasuke has for you. They love you very much and will do anything to protect you.'_

"Hinata-chan, have you thought what you will do now that you are free?" asked Kurenai.

"N-no, not really. I don't even really believe that I am free." whispered Hinata. "What will happen to Hanabi-chan and Hosaki-san?"

"They will be given the choice to leave the village and live as missing nins, and if they have not by the time we come back to the house, they will be arrested and given a punishment." said Kurenai.

"B-but Hanabi-chan is pregnant…." Hinata's white eyes shone with every worry and concern she still held for her sister.

"Yes, her punishment will not be the same as her husband due to her condition, but she will be placed in prison. And when her times come she will be taken to a hospital where she can give birth. But she will not be the mother of the child. The baby will be placed under the village's care. But what they have put you through Hinata-chan, it is unforgivable and what ever Hokage-sama decides what's to happen to them, you must accept. You understand this?"

Hinata nodded. She understood it all too well. And being the caring soul that she was she just hoped that her sister and her husband had left the village. She hated for anyone to get hurt in anyway. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door and a second later Neji came in.

"Kurenai-san? Will you come with me and Kakashi-san to the meeting with the others?" he asked as he smiled towards his cousin.

"Of course. Hinata-chan, you will stay here with Gaara-kun and Sasuke-kun. Once we have settled this we will send your friends here. I believe you have many years of gossip to catch up with," smiled Kurenai and brushed a few black strands behind Hinata's ear.

Hinata just nodded and followed Kurenai and Neji to the door. They hugged again and Kakashi bowed to her.

"Don't worry Hinata-sama, you will be justified before the day is over," he said before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Once they had left, Hinata turned around and saw Sasuke and Gaara stand behind her. They smiled and she blushed a bit. '_This will take some time to get used to,'_ she thought and didn't really know what to do at the moment.

Gaara looked at Hinata and he couldn't help but roam his eyes over her form. She wore black tights, a dark grey skirt that came down to her knees and a shirt in the same grey colour. And with her pale complexions she just looked stunning. It was not eye-catching, nothing that made her stand out in a crowd, but once you noticed her, you couldn't help but stare. Just perfect for a shy flower like Hinata. And the blush on her cheeks, just adorable, not to mention the way she put her forefingers together…

Sasuke was thinking much in the same way as Gaara, but he just motioned for Hinata to follow them into the kitchen. He walked over to the teapot and asked if she wanted some tea while they were waiting for the others come back.

"Yes, that would be nice," answered Hinata quietly. She was nervous, she couldn't help but think what would happen to her sister. She couldn't care less about Hosaki, that man was more of a monster than Gaara ever had been in the past.

"Hinata-chan, you shouldn't worry to much, I am sure that your sister will be treated kindly because of her condition," said Gaara as if he could read her thoughts and then sat down next to her.

"And then what will happen?" asked Hinata and looked at Gaara, confusion brimming her white eyes.

"You will be alive again. You are the Hyuuga-heir…" said Sasuke and gave her a cup of tea.

She bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't want to be the heir Sasuke-kun. I was suffering while I was "alive" before because of that. I don't want to be in that position again."

"You can always stay here if you want to," said Sasuke and put his hand over Hinata's.

"I… I don't want to impose myself on you Sasuke-kun…" she mumbled and blushed when she felt the warmth of his hand, but she didn't pull her hand away. It kind of felt nice, reassuring that she was safe and protected here.

"Hinata-chan, you are wanted here," said Gaara and placed his hand over Sasuke's, showing that he too was there for her.

"W-what are you… w-what do you mean?" stuttered Hinata and now she looked like a cherry.

"You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like. If you don't want to go back to the mansion, you don't have to. You can stay here with us," said Sasuke and smiled a bit, making her blush even harder.

"You don't have to decide right now… but rest assure that both Sasuke and I would love to have you with us in this house."

"Oh… but… but I don't want to… I mean.." mumbled Hinata.

"You will not intrude on anything Hinata-chan. Besides, this house could use a female touch.. don't you think?" said Sasuke as he tried to lighten up the tension in the kitchen a bit.

Hinata smiled and nodded. Going back to the mansion was not something she longed for. And if she could stay here with Sasuke and Gaara, that would be much better. They seemed to genuinely want to help her and for once in her life she could be taken care of instead of being the one that always took care of everybody else.

○

Two hours later the kitchen was crowed by people who wanted to see and talk to Hinata. The little shy flower had become the centre of attention of the whole village.

Naruto was the loudest of the bunch. He was crying when he hugged Hinata. He was going to rip the bastards apart if he got his hands on them. But Hinata just shook her head, mumbling that it was already taken cared of. He kissed her cheek and caused her to blush brightly. But he regretted it the next second when he got a look from both Sasuke and Gaara that could kill him from far away even.

But Rock Lee was the one who almost drowned poor Hinata in tears. The green clothed man with the bowl cut was shouting that her youthfulness not had been lost even if she had been locked up for so long. He was silenced by Naruto as the blonde put a hand over his mouth and dragged him away. Hinata giggled.

Kiba and Akamaru was all over their little team-mate, Akamaru was licking her face with his long tongue. The little puppy was now a full-grown old dog and almost knocked her down in order to greet her. Kiba was howling about taking revenge, but here Gaara stepped in and said that it was already taken care of, obviously they would have to repeat it over and over but they understood their friends all too well.

The female part of the teams was also there, and they hugged Hinata and welcomed her back to their gang. At one point, after all the hugging and crying, they took Hinata outside to the garden. Questions after questions rained around Hinata, they wanted to know why she had been rescued by the two hottest young men in Konoha. They had heard rumours about Sasuke and Gaara living together and they told Hinata about that people thought them to be a couple. They asked the little Hyuuga if she had seen something that could say that they actually were a couple.

Hinata tried to answer all the questions, but most of the time she just stuttered and blushed, not knowing what to say, but to the question about Sasuke and Gaara being a couple she just shook her head. She was not sure but it seemed as if the two liked to be in each other company, but romantically involved, that she doubted.

Gaara and Sasuke was interrogated by Kiba, he wanted to know why they had taken such liking to his "little sister". And he threatened to gut them if they ever hurt Hinata. Naruto was just grinning when he said the same thing. But the look in Sasuke's black eyes told him that his former team-mate was serious when he told them that he was thinking of taking Hinata as his wife. The talk a few weeks back became a reality for the blonde ninja.

They all were silenced when Shino and Neji came back. They had been with Tsunade and the others when they headed for the Hyuuga-mansion. Hanabi had been arrested, but Hosaki was no where in sight. Hanabi had cried rivers when she told them that her husband had just left her, saying that he couldn't have a pregnant burden on his shoulders.

Sasuke and Gaara looked at each other. This meant that there was still a threat towards Hinata. If Hosaki decided to take revenge, he would target Hinata first. They gave each other a curt nod and gave a silent promise that they would not give up on protecting Hinata until that bastard had been taken cared of. Both knew that the man would not live to see another day if they got their hands on him.

"Don't worry. We will all be here for Hinata-chan," stated Naruto and got firm nods from everyone in the kitchen. "And knowing the old woman, she will make sure that the guards are informed as well. Nobody will come close to Hinata-chan without us knowing about it."

"Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata's soft voice made everyone turn around. "I'm very grateful for your support but…"

"Think nothing of it Hinata-chan, we are glad to be here for you," said Lee and smiled like a young boy. His furry eyebrows twitched in happiness over Hinata's return to their lives.

"Have you decided what to do yet Hinata-sama?" asked Neji and looked at his cousin. A small blush tainted her pale cheeks and she nodded.

"I will stay here with Sasuke-kun and Gaara-kun. Sasuke-kun has offered me to stay here as long as I like." said Hinata softly and looked at the black haired boy and his friend and she smiled warmly at them. "And I have no wish to go back to that place. And I think I never will either. So with all you around us here, bare witness when I now pass on my title as heir to Neji-san, if he wants to have it of course."

"Are you sure Hinata-sama?" asked Neji, his voice low and trembling. This would mean that he would get rid of this cursed seal on his forehead. The thing that had bound him to a life in the shadows of the main branch of the family.

"Yes, that house brings me nothing but pain. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore," stated Hinata without as much as a stutter this time.

"Then I accept Hinata-sama," said Neji and bowed.

And the others confirmed the transfer of power from Hyuuga, Hinata to Hyuuga, Neji.

The girls went into an overdrive in helping Hinata with her new wardrobe. Gaara and Sasuke were amazed on how Sakura and Ino had changed. But the smug look in Naruto's blue eyes told them that he probably had a finger in that change. They would have to ask the blonde about it later on.

"And then we must have a party, a celebration," said Tenten and the others agreed to that. "We must celebrate your return to us. A big party we shall have and you will be the girl who has been saved by two knights…"

Hinata giggled as Tenten went on staging a theatre to tell everyone how Hinata had been saved. This was caught up by Lee who gestured wildly with his arms and facial expressions.

The gang kept on talking until the stars was lit on the sky and Gaara and Sasuke said that Hinata was tired and needed her sleep. It had been a couple of rough days for her and she needed to recuperate.

"But tomorrow we will go shopping!" yelled Sakura over her shoulder as she was pushed outside the door by Naruto.

"Of course Sakura-san," said Hinata with a smile. "Shopping we will go."

"Good night Hinata-chan, Sasuke, Gaara..!" they all yelled and disappeared.

Sasuke took a deep breath and closed the door. Hinata was giggling and her white eyes were shining with happiness. Sasuke blushed lightly and asked if she wanted to go to bed or if there was something else she wanted to do before withdrew for the night.

"Yes, I think I'll go to bed, it has been a long day, but I wouldn't change a thing about it. Thank you for saving me," she said and walked over to Gaara and hugged him and then she hugged Sasuke.

They were reluctant to let her go, but did just that. She disappeared into her room and they heard her take a shower. The mental image that gave them was like dangling candy in front of a child and they mouthed opened and they almost drooled.

T B C

○○○○○

Again, thank you for the reviews. I am addicted to them.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within the anime/manga. And I sure as hell ain't making any profit from writing this story.**

** Part 7 **

Hinata awoke by a feather light hand caressing her face. She opened her eyes and saw Sasuke sit next to her bed with a soft smile on his lips. She blushed and pulled up the blanket to her chin and tried to hide as much as she could of her body. She was sleeping in a pair of tights and a t-shirt. But she felt naked under his dark stare so she hid as much as she could under the blanket.

He just smiled at her and brushed a few tresses of hair away from her face. He had been at her side for over and hour, waiting for her to wake up. But he could have sat here much longer. To sit like this and look at her was giving him peace. A peace he had not known since he was child. Her energy was warm and loving, just like his mother's had been. It wrapped you up in a caring cocoon and kept the monsters of the mind away.

"It's time for breakfast if you want some," he said softly and rose to his feet.

Hinata blushed even more when she realized that he was just wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. '_Skin.. a lot of skin… A lot of Sasuke's skin…'_ it rambled inside her head as she forced her eyes to look at his face instead of his well built chest. She just nodded and wished she could disappear right about now…

As soon as Sasuke was out of her room Hinata got up and dressed in a hurry. She brushed her hair and then her teeth. She looked in her mirror. She looked just awful, but a growling from her stomach said that she had to eat. So she ignored her looks, she was never one to be vain.

She walked to the kitchen but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw both Gaara and Sasuke moving around, setting the table and fix their breakfast. And neither of them had a shirt on, just a pair of sweat pants. She quickly turned around and stuttered out that she was there.

"Hinata-chan, what's the matter?" asked Gaara and hurried over to her where she stood with her back towards them. He put his hand on her shoulder and wanted her to turn around to look at him. He was worried.

"N-not used to… c-could you p-please p-put on a s-shirt or s-something?" she mumbled and refused to turn around when Gaara talked to her. She couldn't look at him. But she could feel the warmth of his hand on her shoulder and she shivered a bit.

What she had seen this morning was enough to last her a life time she imagined. She had seen boys in their boxers before, but that was when she was a young girl and followed Kiba and Akamaru when they went bathing in a river or a lake. Shino never was the one to take off his clothes at any time, but Kiba, he could just undress and jump into the water with his faithful companion. That was then… and this was now and this was something completely different. These two were not boys any longer, no they were two grown up men. Hinata swallowed hard when she felt butterflies flutter around in her belly.

"Don't be embarrassed Hinata-chan, we are the ones that should apologize," said Sasuke and they brushed by Hinata with smiles on their lips. "But feel free to look if you want."

As if on a queue they flexed their muscles just in front of her as they walked towards their rooms to find themselves a shirt to put on.

"Sasuke-kun!" she gasped horrified and her eyes suddenly was glued to the floor, but all she wanted to do was ogle them. But her shy nature prohibited it.

The boys chuckled and went inside their rooms and came back with t-shirts on. They walked back into the kitchen as if nothing had happened. But Hinata still was a bit shaken by the whole ordeal. '_Perhaps Kurenai-san could teach me something after all. This was new; this was never in any of my books._' thought Hinata and remembered all the books she had read through out her prison-years. '_Or perhaps Sakura-san and Ino-san could tell me something about this?'_

She ate her breakfast under silence but she could see smiles lingering on their lips and she frowned. But then she just mentally shook her shoulders and finished her breakfast. Sakura was probably soon at the door and not long after Hinata had thought about the pink-haired girl, there was a knock on the front door.

"Take care of her and make sure that she's safe," said Gaara with his eerie calm voice. He had still not forgiven the bubble gum haired girl for going about with Sasuke earlier.

"Of course Gaara-kun, we will only make the town unsafe," said Sakura with a smile and dragged Hinata with her out the door. "You will not recognize her when I bring her back."

Gaara sighed and closed the door. He was pretty sure that he would be able to recognize his shy lily no matter what they dressed her up with.

Hinata was dragged around the clothing stores around the village and they were stopped in between by people who wanted to talk to Hinata. Sakura helped her find clothes that fitted the shy shinobi perfectly. White, cream, black, dark blue, and pearly grey, every colour that blended in with Hinata's natural colours. Sakura was indeed a good judge when it came down to matching colours. Ino came along and helped out too. Soon they were joined by Tenten who showed Hinata how to hide her weapons in the new clothes.

Tenten also treated them all to a restaurant and they had delicious cakes and cookies.

"This is a woman's privilege, almost a must. We must have cakes and cookies when we are feeling down or if we are feeling up. And I will say that this is an up-occasion, don't you think so Hinata-chan?" rambled Tenten.

"I would say it is," said Hinata gently and smiled and put her teeth in a chocolate chip cookie.

"Now, we are all dying to hear what it's like to live with two hunks like you do," said Ino and leaned forward over the table. Sakura and Tenten did the same.

"Uhmm… well… I t-thing I have t-to get use to t-them w-walking around in their b-boxers," mumbled Hinata and she was sure she was going to die from embarrassment. And it sure didn't get any better when the girls squealed in delight.

"Oh My God!" moaned Sakura. "Ahh, to see Sasuke-kun in his boxers at this age… ahhhhh! He must be gorgeous, right Hinata-chan?"

"And Gaara-kun, does he look good too?" asked Ino and licked her lips. "He sure has filled out underneath those baggy clothes… right?

"Does this mean that you have seen them in their boxers yet?" asked Tenten her eyes wide.

"T-they was in t-the kitchen t-this morning, w-wearing just a pair of sweat p-pants," said Hinata and that made them squeal again.

"You are such a lucky girl. I wish I could be you Hinata-chan," said Sakura.

They were interrupted by Naruto and Lee. They sat down at the table and asked what the girls were talking about.

"Nothing special," said Sakura and looked as if she was a cat who swallowed the canary.

"Sakura-chan…" said Naruto with a scowl.

"We were just talking about Hinata and her living with two gorgeous guys. She's going to be envied by every woman in this village," Said Tenten and gently nudged her elbow into Hinata's side.

Hinata looked down on the crumbs on her plate and just giggled. Naruto laughed with her. He kept his eyes on her and he wondered if she knew how Sasuke and Gaara felt about her. He had seen the looks in their eyes when he had kissed her yesterday and those looks had spoken volumes.

"Yeah, and I bet there are some boys that will be just as envious too," he said and winked at the blushing Hyuuga.

"But you deserve to be happy Hinata-chan. You have missed everything about being a teenager, but now you can taste the fruits of youthfulness," said Lee and made a thumb up.

"Lee-san, no lecture about that today," said Sakura and put a finger on Lee's lips and made a glare but you could see that she really wasn't angry with the taijutsu user.

"Perhaps we should leave you ladies to have your girl-talk alone," said Naruto and winked again towards Hinata. She was going to have a lot to deal with the coming weeks he assumed and Sakura and the other girls was there to help her. He was going to be there too of course, he would help Hinata in any way he could. And if that Hosaki was coming back, well, he was going to protect Hinata with is very life if it was called for. He made a silent promise that he would go to any length to make sure that she was safe and he never backed down from his promises.

After the feasting of cakes and cookies, Hinata was dragged into a store with just women's lingerie. And it didn't matter how much Hinata protested, the girls said she just had to have sexy underwear's if she was going to seduce Sasuke-kun and Gaara-kun. Hinata stuttered that she had no such intentions. Gods, what were the girls thinking about?

Sakura choose a virgin white set, Ino a sinful black one and Tenten a youthful dark blue one. But of course they found some more practical ones if Hinata choose to take up her ninja training. Which she said that she wanted to do. Perhaps not to the extent as earlier, she wanted to focus more on being a medic nin.

"Perhaps you should talk to Hokage-sama, I'm sure she can help you with that. Shizune-san is a good teacher," said Sakura and she knew what she was talking about. She had been a student under both Tsunade and Shizune for several years.

During the late afternoon the girls left Hinata in the hallway in Sasuke's house with all her bags. How ever was she supposed to pay the girls back for what they had done for her this day? Not a single piece of clothing had she bought with her own money. She sighed and took a few bags and carried them to her room and then went back to get the rest, but as she exited her room she bumped into both Gaara and Sasuke who had seen the bags in the hall and decided to take them to her room. They were just gentlemen who wanted to help out a lady.

The contents of the bags spilled over the floor and Hinata's eyes widened and gave up a small yelp when she saw Gaara pick up the midnight blue bra and matching panties. She snatched them from his hand and put them into a bag and then she raked everything together and ran into her room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Her face was flaming red and she let out a groan of humiliation as she sunk to the floor with her back against the door. She still held the bags and clothes in a tight grip and she let herself close her eyes for a few seconds. '_Hinata… breathe… breathe.'_ she thought and took a few deep breaths before she opened her eyes again and rose to her feet.

She dropped the things onto her bed and then she fell onto everything with her face first on the pillow. '_I should never have let them talk me into buying those sets of underwear.'_ she thought and groaned again.

Outside the door stood two young men with wide smiles. Sasuke had seen the sexy bra too and his mind was filled with images of Hinata running around in that little petite, dark blue set. Midnight blue colours against pale skin. Those cups filled with female flesh. With a moan he rose to his feet a bit stiffly. And Gaara was no better off. They smiled at each other and then they shrugged their shoulders.

"Hinata-chan?" asked Sasuke through the door.

"Y-yes?" came the hesitant answer.

"The dinner will be ready soon, join us if you like," said Sasuke and tried to sound casual. But he was feeling far from casual at the moment. He wondered if Hinata had chosen that those things or if the girls had persuaded her to buy them… most likely it was the other girls, Hinata would probably go through a wild forest fire before she would be caught buying sexy lingerie for herself.

"Uhmm, a-alright."

They left and headed towards the kitchen. They had begun the dinner just minutes earlier when they heard Hinata come through the front door. They had seen her go to her room with her hands full of bags and a quick look into the hallway they had seen that there were several left. But now the food was screaming for their attention and they entered the kitchen and continued where they had left off.

Hinata put her new clothes into their rightful places in the cabinet and took a deep breathe and opened the door and stepped outside. Her nostrils were filled with a spicy aroma and her mouth began to water. She was hungry. Those cookies she had with the girls had not done much to keep the hunger away. She saw them dish out the dinner and she sat down.

She swallowed hard a couple of times before actually looking at them. But there was no taunting or teasing in their eyes, just warmth and care for her.

"Did you have a good day with Sakura?" asked Sasuke curtly.

"Yes, she was very nice and so was Ino-san and Tenten-san too," answered Hinata softly.

"You must have been the centre of attention where ever you went, am I right?" asked Gaara and placed a glass of juice in front of Hinata.

"Mmm, it was a bit embarrassing. I'm not used to that," said Hinata and smiled as the tension in her stomach disappeared more and more.

"My guess is that you will have to get used to it. This will be the thing that people will talk about for years to come," said Sasuke and placed the last bowls of food on the table.

They ate under silence but when they were finished, Hinata insisted that she would do the dishes. It was not fair that she was being left out. She wanted to help too.

"Then we will do it together," smiled Gaara.

Hinata nodded and put her hands into the warm water and began to clean the first plate.

"So what did you talk about today?" asked Sasuke as he grabbed a towel and dried the plate Hinata gave him.

Hinata smiled and looked at him. "That is girls-only-to-know-basis," she said and went back to the dishes.

The boys growled and she just laughed softly at them. But it was the truth. What they had talked about during the days was only girl-talk and boys had no rights to know about what they were talking about.

Once they were finished they headed for the living-room. Hinata looked over the few books Sasuke had bought after he had bought the house and found one to be interesting. '_Perhaps I could get some books from the mansion to be delivered here? I don't think Neji-niisan will object to that.'_ thought Hinata as she picked out a book and sat down on the sofa.

Gaara and Sasuke sat down on the sofa on the other side of the small table. Soon she was looking over her book and saw them stare at her and she blushed.

"W-what…?" she asked.

"Hinata-chan… do you like children?" asked Sasuke quietly and diverted his black gaze to his hands instead.

Hinata's eyebrows rose a bit and she frowned. That had been a question that she had not expected to come from him.

"Yes, I suppose so… But I have not been around many children. Of course did in the past, when I was younger, but not now.. Why do you ask Sasuke-kun?"

"Uhm… just wondering." mumbled Sasuke, he was not comfortable with the situation right now. He wanted to ask her to be his or rather their wife, but his courage was failing him and it was failing him fast. He had felt so confident before the dinner, but now… no he was shaking like a young boy, asking for his first date.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Well… if you are tired you should go to bed," said Sasuke and stood up and was about to leave when Hinata took his hand and held it tightly. He looked down at her and he saw confusion in her white eyes. And insecurity. '_She has the right to know.'_ he thought and moved to sit down next to her.

"Sasuke-kun, why did you ask if I liked children?" asked Hinata again and didn't care that she held him in a tight grip. She just wanted to know why he would ask such a question. It was not like him to blurt out such a question and then just leave.

"When I came here to Konoha about a month ago I was not sure of anything. And then the very same night as I came back I heard you scream Hinata-chan. I saw you there in the forest, glowing in the moonlight. But I before I could go over to you Gaara stopped me, telling me to step away from you. He said that he was your protector. He made sure that nothing would happen to you while you had your time with that tree. But that was before either of us knew about your demise. Before we knew that you had been declared dead." Sasuke took a deep breathe and looked down at their joined hands before he continued again. "After the revenge on my brother I have only had one goal, a goal that I have neglected far too long. But as I see it now, I was just waiting for the right one."

Hinata looked at him and then to Gaara who just smiled gently. Something was about to happen, she could feel it in her soul. She looked back at Sasuke, not sure what to expect from the black eyed man.

"I want to restore the Uchiha-clan Hinata-chan, and I have found me a girl that I love very much. But you see, she's loved by another man as well. A man that I have found the deepest respect for and I will be, if she allows it, her husband, just as the other man will too."

"S-sasuke-kun, I… I don't understand." said Hinata quietly as she tried to process what she was given. "If you want m-me to move out because of this girl… I will of course."

Gaara stepped in when he realized that Sasuke was too emotionally moved to say anything else. "Hinata-chan, the other man Sasuke-kun is talking about is me, and the girl…. well, the girl is you Hinata-chan."

You could drop a needle on the floor and it would echo like the thunder through the house at this moment. Hinata's eyes wandered back and forth between the two young ninjas. She didn't know what to say or even believe. Then her mind began to work through the haze and she began to shake. They had asked her to be their wife. She shot up and began to pace behind the sofa, her eyes fluttered and her head was shaking as she wanted to deny what she just heard. Then she stopped as if she had frozen on the spot.

"This is a joke right? You want to make fun of me?" her eyes hardened into white pearls.

"Hinata-chan, why should we make such a joke? No, what Gaara said was the truth. I love you and I have come to love you very much and I want to be your husband. But Gaara loves you as well, he has loved you for a very long time, but he feared that you would find him to be…." Sasuke sought for the proper word to use when Hinata said it for him.

"That I would find him to be a monster? I would never do that!" she said heatedly and looked at Gaara with blazing eyes.

"Then believe me when I say that this is not a cruel joke on your behalf. And you don't have to answer right away, but we wanted you to know how we feel about you," said Sasuke and stood up and walked around the sofa to stand in front of Hinata.

His eyes flashed darkly with passion as he looked down on her face. He grabbed her fiddling hands and pulled her close to him. In the corner of his eyes he saw Gaara come up and stand behind Hinata.

"We want you to be with us – forever Hinata-chan," Sasuke continued.

Hinata felt their arms go around her and she was hugged tightly by the two men who were probably voted the most wanted men in all of Konoha-region. And they said that they wanted her… '_They can have anyone they want and they want me?'_

She let them hug her for a moment before she gently dispersed herself from them. She swallowed and forced herself to look into their eyes.

"Let me think about it… and then I will give you my answer," she said and turned around and walked to her room, her back straight and her head held high. She had yet to believe what she just heard.

Sasuke and Gaara looked at her retreating form and knew that it would be a couple of days that was pure hell for them. But they would not force her to answer until she was ready to give them one. They sighed and Sasuke wondered if they had been too forceful with her already. But he was beginning to feel eager in creating a family, the image of her dressed in that dark blue set of panties and bra was making him shiver in pure lust.

Gaara was no better off either. He had felt the warmth that radiated from her body when he hugged her and he could only fantasise what it would be like to have her hot little body next to him in bed. Time for a cold shower.

T B C

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Ohh, things is getting tensed...


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own the characters within the Naruto manga/anime nor am I making any money out of this fic.

**Trollmia's little ramblings**. I'm sorry for long wait. But believe it or not - I do have a life outside writing fanfictions - hard to believe I know, but it is the truth.

** 8 **

Hinata sat on the edge of her bed, not having the will power to undress, not yet. Her mind was rewinding and displaying the episode in the living room over and over again. They said that they wanted her, Hyuuga, Hinata. They wanted the weak and pathetic and now former heir to the Hyuuga's throne. They wanted her. Her father had proclaimed her dead so that Hanabi, the stronger one of the sisters could take the throne… and yet they wanted her.

She had been locked up in a room in a basement. And when she had found a way out she had met Gaara, he had been watching over her and now he said that he wanted to marry her… She couldn't believe it. It was too much. And Sasuke, the boy who had been looking for a way to be more powerful, to be stronger…. he wanted to create a family with her. He wanted her to be the mother of his children.

Didn't they understand that she was weak, that her children would probably be just as weak as she had been in her youth just as she was weak now? Her father had said so time and time again. It was because of that weakness that they had locked her away. '_What should I do? I like them both very much, perhaps I even love them. But I don't know anything, it doesn't feel like anything that my books describe,.'_ she thought as she fell back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her world had been turned up side down and twisted into some kind of alternate reality in the course of a few days.

If she said no, they would be hurt… and Hinata hated when people got hurt. Her compassion for every living thing was giving her a hard time. '_But they said that I didn't have to give the answer yet. Maybe I could ask Kurenai-san for some advice in this matter?'_ She agreed with herself on that decision, she would ask her former sensei the first thing in the morning. She changed into her sleeping clothes and moved under the blankets. But the sleep didn't want to come to her. She was too reeled up to go to sleep.

She kept thinking about the desperation in the hug she got from them, and yet how good it had felt to be inside their arms, to be loved. '_Love…. I don't know love.'_ Tears appeared in her white eyes and she felt the roll down the sides of her head as she blinked them away. Her childhood crush on Naruto was one thing, she had gotten over it over the years, but this… this was something completely different. It went deeper; it was more elusive than what she had felt towards the blonde ninja. '_Kurenai-san, I really hope that you can help me.'_ Hinata closed her eyes and began to count backwards from one thousand, and before she had gotten to 910 she was sleeping.

She had been worn out during the day's happenings even if she didn't realize it herself.

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Gaara knocked on Sasuke's door. He had taken a shower, a very cold shower and by the looks of it, so had his friend as Sasuke opened his door. He stepped inside the room and Sasuke motioned him to sit down on the bed. He took out a bottle of rice-wine from a locker and Gaara nodded. Sasuke poured the liquor into two small glasses and handed over one to Gaara.

"Do you think we asked her too soon?" asked Sasuke quietly, he didn't want Hinata to hear them, and if she already was asleep he didn't want to wake her up.

"Maybe, I am not sure. A woman having two husbands is not unheard of, but it only occurred when there were few females in a village," said Gaara and sipped at the strong alcohol and made a face as it burned his tongue and throat. "It was to make sure that the repopulation of the village was secured."

"I know… I have seen it during my travels. But she looked so upset, what if she turns us down?" whispered Sasuke.

"Then we must accept it, I will never force my love on a woman," said Gaara. He knew that Sasuke would not do it either, but it would take them a very long time before they found someone again. _If_ they ever found someone again.

A long moment of silence and then they looked at each other again.

"Cold shower Gaara-kun?" asked Sasuke and nodded towards the red head's wet hair.

"Yeah, you too?"

Sasuke nodded and then they both smiled. "I blame that little piece of clothing you dangled in front of our eyes today," said the black haired Uchiha.

"Yeah… that was… hot!" mumbled Gaara and you could see a light blush on his cheeks. He could easily see Hinata in that dark blue piece. Her pale flesh filling it cups. And he could just as easily see himself burrow his face in her valley that would be formed if she used that blue thing. Suddenly that cold shower had been one in vain… he was getting really worked up again.

"I agree with you. Do you think we'll ever get to see her in that?" Sasuke asked as he filled up their cups with more sake. "I sure hope that I just can get a small peep at her wearing it."

"I will wish for it every night in my prayers," said Gaara with a smirk and raised his cup towards Sasuke who did the same.

They emptied their glasses and Gaara walked back to his room. What ever answer their shy little lily had in store for them they had to wait for it.

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Hinata was dreaming. It was a nightmare.

She was back in her old room at the mansion. Not the one in the basement, but her old room on the second floor. She was sitting on her old bed, looking around the room. Her room had been stripped of every little piece that once had belonged to her. It was the day before she was banished to the cellar. Rage coursed through body and she could feel her nails dig into her palms, almost drawing blood in the process.

'_No, I don't want to… never again will I let them walk over my body and my will!'_ she stood up and walked over to the door only to meet her father's tall figure. '_**NOOO!** I will not let you take me down there… You took eight years of my life… you will not keep me here again!'_ her mind yelled at the ghostly figure.

But before she could put up a fight against the ghost of her father that very figure was blown to pieces in front of her eyes. As the smoke dispersed she saw two pairs of eyes glow in the mists. A pair of black eyes that was tinted with a fierce red colour and a pair of aquamarine coloured eyes.

It was her saviours, her heroes - Gaara and Sasuke. She asked them why they were in her dream and they answered that they had promised to always protect her from harm and that included protecting her in her dreams as well. Then they smiled and walked over to her, taking her between them as they hugged her, shielding her from anything that could cause her harm. She felt her body grow relaxed and she sighed. She would never have to fear anything.

It was here the dream shifted and changed the scenario. Hinata was in the living room in Sasuke's house again. She was still being hugged by them, but this time none of them had any clothes on. She could feel the warmth roll off them in waves and she moaned in her sleep. She could feel every part of them as they pressed their bodies against her. In front of her was Sasuke and she could see his dark eyes look at her with undisguised passion. Passion he felt for her and only her. And as she turned her head in her dream she could see Gaara behind her as he rubbed his thing against her bum and she became painfully aware that she too was naked and that he was touching her naked skin. '_Oh, gods… oh, gods….' _she thought as she felt her body became hot and heavy. '_This is not me… I… I…. no… no…'_

Her breast had suddenly become very sensitive and the way Sasuke was moving against her in the dream at the moment made her want to feel more. The black eyed Uchiha moved his hands and cupped her face and gently forced her to look up into his face and Hinata just knew that she was blushing. And at the same time she became aware that…

Gaara's hands were placed on her hips as he rubbed his pelvis against her soft backside. Gods, it felt like she was burning up inside. And she liked it. She wanted more and in her dream she closed her eyes and just let them touch her. He rubbed his erection against her naked backside, up and down… up and down her plump lower valley. She could feel him breathe hotly against her neck and she relaxed. She felt so warm and heavy and she knew that if she spread her legs just a bit she would be able to feel them both between her thighs.

With a small gasp Hinata jumped out of the bed. She was breathing erratically and her skin was moist. She was sweating. She removed her t-shirt and walked into her private bathroom and washed up a bit before putting on a clean shirt. She turned around and removed the shirt as she realized she really needed new pair of panties too and thus, a shower was in order. She took a quick shower and put on some new and fresh clothes. Her face was still flushing from the dream and she suddenly had a craving for ice cream.

She tiptoed out to the kitchen in just her panties and t-shirt and opened the freezer in hope that Sasuke and Gaara were ice cream lovers too. She smiled when she saw a bucket of vanilla ice cream. She took it out and opened a drawer to find a spoon. She then tiptoed into the living room and crawled up on one corner of the sofa and began to devour the sweet treat.

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And this was how her two room-mates found her. Both Gaara and Sasuke had heard her shower go on and then they had heard her door open her door and quietly walk to the kitchen. And for a couple of very well trained ninjas like them, her footsteps had been very noticeable. Once they heard her sit down they stealthfully walked over to the living room and saw her curled up at the edge of the sofa, eating ice cream right out of the bucket.

They smiled at each other before stepping into the room. In the dim light from a small light they saw that her cheeks were coloured and the way she was devouring the ice cream with fierce intensity – something was definitively up with the little kunoichi.

Gaara knew that his big sister could do such things when she were upset or had her monthly bleeding. He inwardly shuddered. Temari could be a real bitch during those days and if you kept her from her ice cream or her chocolate, then you were in for a tough ride.

Hinata hiccupped when she saw Gaara and Sasuke stand next to her. The next thing that happened was of course that she remembered her dream and she blushed and stuttered out an excuse for waking them up. She fiddled with the spoon and didn't really know where to look.

"Why this craving for ice cream Hinata-chan?" asked Sasuke with seductively low voice.

"Uhmm, just wanted something sweet." mumbled Hinata and tried not to respond to the way his voice seem to flicker at strings in her soul.

"Did you have a bad dream Hinata-chan?" asked Gaara and that made her look even flustered than she already was. '_What on earth did she dream about? That face can not mean that she had a nightmare….' _

"Uhm.. yes, right… a b-bad dream." stuttered Hinata and put a large scoop of ice cream in her mouth, unknowing how very sexy it looked. And she did it again and again until the boys was harder than steel inside their boxers. But she couldn't look at them so she didn't noticed their dilemma. If she just looked up a bit she would see that they were in a very bad condition. They were blushing a bit but did nothing really to hide the tenting of their boxers.

The dream was causing her body to turn into a nervous wreck. And the havoc it created in her soul, after this night she would never be the same again.

"Hinata-chan, shouldn't you head back to bed instead of sitting here in the darkness all by your self?" asked Sasuke and he saw her shiver a bit and he wondered if it was because of their situation or if it was because the ice cream was so cold. He saw the little pink tip of her tongue come out to lick her lips and he cursed when he felt his male member grow even harder_. 'She's going to kill us both…'_ he thought as he noticed that Gaara had trouble of keeping himself in check.

"No, no… I'm fine… j-just fine.. go b-back to s-sleep you two… I w-will manage," she said and let the spoon whirl around in the bucket before putting it to her mouth again. She refused to look up at them because she was afraid of what she might see. Her logic side already knew, her heart knew it as well. But she really didn't want to believe it. She was still strung up by the fact that she was weak and that she shouldn't be the one that these two would want as a wife. But she could hear their emotions as they spoke and yet… '_No, no… I'm not the one.. I can't be the one… I'm weak and I can't even go against my family… This is so wrong..' _Hinata let another spoon of ice cream disappear into her mouth.

Now could Gaara no longer contain his moan and he turned around and ran out of the room, Sasuke was not far behind. Hinata looked surprised but then she concentrated on her ice cream again, trying not to remember the husky moaning sound that Gaara had made the second before he exited the living room. '_Why me…? I'm a nobody, my father said so over and over again… I'm not worthy of their love…'_ But she just ate a few more scoops and then placed the rest in the freezer again. The spoon was washed off and placed to dry on the counter. She washed her mouth and had some water before walking back to bed. How did her life go from total humiliation to an emotional disaster area? She reminded herself about talking to Kurenai in the morning, but she dreaded it. '_But if I want things to be clear to me I think I must do it. I have missed something very vital while I was kept prisoner.' _she thought as she crawled underneath her blanket and pulled it up to her nose.

And this time her sleep was free from haunting dreams.

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Hinata awoke very early in the morning and by using her Byakugan she could tell that both Sasuke and Gaara were still in their beds, fast asleep. She dressed herself quickly and within a few minutes she was outside the front door of the house. She didn't want them to wake up and ask her a lot of questions that she still had no answers to. And she wasn't sure that she would be able to contain herself if they showed up in their boxers again. Not that she would mind seeing that again. She was after all a woman in her youth. And nobody would blame her for enjoying looking at two very handsome young men that barely were dressed.

Hinata shook her black head and she closed her eyes as she ran through the streets of Konoha this early morning. There was no time in thinking about that. She needed to see Kurenai about what she should do, not think about how it would be to actually live out all the emotions that were causing so much havoc inside her soul.

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Kurenai let out a choked curse as there was a loud knock on her door. Who in the hell dared to disturb her beauty sleep? She checked her alarm clock and saw that it was only 6.30 in the morning. This was just too much the genjutsu master thought as she pulled on her robe and headed towards her door. What greeted her was both a surprise and yet not…

"Hinata-chan…W-what are you doing here so early?" mumbled the red eyed teacher as she held her door open to the young woman she once had held under her supervision.

"I n-need some… uhm… advices.." mumbled Hinata and blushed as she stepped inside Kurenai's home. Her former teacher led her into her kitchen.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Kurenai as she silently gestured for Hinata to sit down at her table.

Hinata nodded. She had left Sasuke's house in such a hurry that she had not even eaten breakfast. She had not wanted to be caught in their seductive yarns before she had some more information, something more to build her decision on.

"So… what kind of advice do you need, Hinata-chan?" asked Kurenai as she put the pot of water on the stove and then placed two cups on her kitchen table.

"Uhm… t-this is a little embarrassing, b-but I…. I would like to k-know what you think of me if… if I s-said yes to b-be both Uchiha-san's and G-Gaara-san's wife," Hinata said as she refused to look at her old teacher.

Kurenai's red eyes widened a bit as she tried to process the information her former student stuttered out. The way it sounded… the boys must have asked her already. '_And if Hinata came to me to ask about my opinion… she must consider a yes to their question…' _thought the illusion mistress. Now she really needed to consider what she said to the young Hyuuga-girl. Any wrong answer here would probably end up in heart ache for three people.

"Hinata-chan, what I think is of no importance. If you really ask me if I would judge you for actually thinking about being the wife of two men…? I will not do it. If you find it in your heart to be with them… then I think you should.. without a doubt," said Kurenai softly as she made two cups of green tea for them both.

"B-but w-what will others t-think of me?" Hinata asked as she placed her hands around the warm tea cup.

"What others think… Why should you care at all what they think? Most women will be very jealous of you and they might spread a few evil rumours, but in the long run they are just that – only jealous because you have two very handsome looking fellows that want what is best for you. You know, they will stand by your side even if you turn them down. They will never stop being your protectors…."

Hinata nodded, she had suspected as much… and yet it was strange hearing it from another person. She sipped her tea as she thought about what Kurenai had said to her. She had to admit that it felt very nice knowing that she had two very powerful ninja protecting her. Since Hosaki, the man that was married to her younger sister, still was on the loose… her life was still in danger. That man would probably try and take her life if he got the chance to do so. So if Sasuke and Gaara were there to protect her, she would be safe from harms way.

The silence was brought to an end as Kurenai's phone rang. She muttered a curse about having her mornings disturbed and Hinata blushed and realized that she too had been very early. She heard Kurenai spoke quietly into the phone and then there was silence. A rustle of textile and suddenly Kurenai stood before Hinata fully dressed. Her face was that of worry.

"Kurenai-sensei?"

"Come, we must go to the hospital. Your sister is having her baby – right now!" said Kurenai and grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her out of her chair.

"W-what… Hanabi-chan is having her baby? Now? B-but it's too early..!" cried Hinata as Kurenai made a few quick seal with one hand and then they were gone in a whirlwind of leafs.

'_Yeah, a month too early,'_ thought Kurenai as they reappeared next to the hospital. Hinata was first inside as she called out where she could find her sister. Kurenai stopped at the reception and was met by Shizune. The medic nin did not look very hopeful.

"Shizune-san, please, tell me what is happening to Hanabi-san," asked Kurenai as Shizune guided her into the cafeteria. She knew that Hinata would have little or no time for her old sensei right now.

"She was taken in late last night by the ANBU's that were guarding her. She had severe contractions. She went into labor. It might be because of the stress she's been under since she was taken in by the ANBU force and the betrayal caused by her husband…" Shizune stopped talking.

"So it's bad then?"

"Very bad. She's too fragile and not even Tsunade-sama can do anything about it. If she make it through the labor itself, that alone will be a miracle," said Shizune and cursed a bit when she felt a tear escape her eye.

"This will be a hard blow against Hinata-chan and Neji-san too. They will feel that they are responsible for this," said Kurenai.

"Kurenai-san!"

The red eyed woman turned around and saw Sasuke and Gaara stand behind her. She rose t her feet and looked at them.

"Where's Hinata-chan? Is she ok? She wasn't home and then Sakura called from the hospital telling us that Hanabi had gone into labor," said Sasuke, his voice slightly panic stricken.

Kurenai couldn't help but smile a bit. Both boys looked so devastated. They truly loved the girl that Kurenai had taken in and loved like her own daughter. And if Hinata had left early this morning she might just have made it so that she wouldn't wake the two young ninjas. Of course they had been worried about her.

"Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. Hinata-chan is ok, but I can't say the same for her sister. Please, Shizune-san, can you please fill them in on what has happened?" asked Kurenai.

"Of course, come here Uchiha-san, Gaara-san," said Shizune and showed them that they could sit down next to them at the table.

Kurenai listen in as Shizune again told them about what had happen during the night. Both Sasuke and Gaara were taken by the news but the moment that Shizune had finished her story they wanted to know where they could find Hinata.

"We want to be with her… to make sure she's ok too," said Gaara.

"Of course, second floor, the intensive care unit. You just follow the signs."

They were gone the next second. Shizune and Kurenai looked at each other and sighed at the same time: "Ahhh, young love…"

And then their smiles were gone. Hanabi was fighting for her life and she would probably not make it. And at this moment, her baby's life was in danger as well.

T B C

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A review would be nice...


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me - nor am I making any profit from writing this story...

Trollmia's little rant: NO! - this story is not forgotten -I've been busy with real life and other things/stories...

○○○ 9 ○○○

Hinata didn't care that she was shouted at. She didn't care that there were medic-nins that tried to get her out of the room. She needed to be with her baby-sister.

"Hanabi-chan!" she called out and reached for her sister. Their hands found each other and she could feel her sister's weak grip tighten around her hand. "Hanabi-chan…"

"Nee-chan," whispered Hanabi as her white eyes looked up into Hinata's worried face. "I'm glad y-you came."

"Don't w-worry Hanabi-chan… E-everything is going to b-be o-ok," sobbed Hinata as she finally was able to stay with her sister, much thanks to Kurenai who told the medics that Hinata needed to be with her sister and by the looks of it, Hanabi needed her sister close by too. She could feel her heart squeeze as Hanabi let out a blood curling scream, signifying that she had another painful contraction.

Hinata could feel tears roll down her cheeks as she heard the medics mumble in the background. And she already knew that her sister wouldn't make it through. But she could always try and make her sister feel better, give her sister hope for the future.

"N-nee-chan… p-promise me something," gasped Hanabi as she tried to push as the medics and midwife told her. "P-promise me that you'll take c-care of m-my baby i-if I don't make it…"

"You know I will, Hanabi-chan," whispered Hinata and put Hanabi's hand to her lips and kissed it. "But you'll make it… You're the s-strong one.. Father favored you, you're stronger then I'll ever be… You'll make it Hanabi-chan!!"

Hanabi laughed bitterly as she looked at her sister again. "Nee-chan, w-we both know who is the strongest in our f-family…. And it is not me..!" The young woman looked at her sister and saw tears in her eyes. '_Nee-chan… You have always been the strongest in our family because you have a trait that none of us others have… compassion…'_

'_Ohh, Hanabi-chan, d-don't talk like that…'_ Hinata tried not to cry so forcefully, but it was in vain. Her tears just streamed down her cheeks.

"S-so w-where are your boyfriends?" asked Hanabi before she screamed again. The hand that wasn't clutching her sister's suddenly grabbed hold of the bed sheets.

"Ehh?"

It would take another five minutes before Hanabi was able to talk again and this time she looked just a little bit more scarier than she had earlier.

"Don't b-be such a fool nee-chan… I'm t-talking about the Uchiha a-and that other guy!"

"Oh, y-you mean Sasuke-kun a-and Gaara-kun? I… I'm not sure w-where they are," mumbled Hinata and felt the blush spread all over her face.

"Well…. **CAN SOMEONE GET THEM HERE??!!!**" Hanabi roared with lungs fit for a giant. All commotion in the room stopped and they looked at the panting woman in bed. "Well, did I not **MAKE MY SELF CLEAR?!!!**"

Before Hinata could interrupt one of the medic-nins disappeared out of the room and three seconds later both Sasuke and Gaara were standing next to her, their hands on her shoulders.

"Now listen h-here you goddamn b-bastards!" growled the panting woman as she worked her way through another contraction. "Y-you t-take care of my sister r-real g-good ok?"

"Of course, Hanabi-san" answered Sasuke not sure to what the hell was going on here besides the Hyuuga-woman giving birth. And that affair alone looked like… Ohh, the Uchiha was beginning to feel a little bit pale.

"F-first of all…. Nee-chan, I'm really sorry f-for… yeah.. y-you know. But d-do know this – if it wasn't f-for my will…. You w-would've been k-killed. B-but that's not w-what I want to t-talk about. I need you three t-to take caaaaaahhhh!!!"

Gaara felt his heart stop as the young Hyuuga-woman scream as if her life was squeezed out of her but as he began to focus his chakra to his nose – the scents in the air was that of death. She was dying and by the looks of it – she knew it to.

Hanabi panted as the pains resided a bit. Her pale eyes went between the two men. And she swallowed before speaking.

"I **need** you **three** to **take care** of my **baby**… Understand?" She gasped out between the painful throbs that went through her body. "And you g-guys… pr-protect this life w-with your own!!"

Sasuke understood the former heiress wish and he nodded before he spoke.

"Hanabi-san, I promise you that I'll protect your child with my life."

"Hanabi-san, I promise you that I'll do the same," said Gaara as he bowed slightly.

"Hanabi-chan," whispered Hinata when she began to understand what was happening. "NO! NO!! HANABI-CHAN!!! Y-you… you'll make it…!"

The young woman in the bed smiled tiredly. "Hinata-nee-chan, I'm not g-going to make it… but please… take care of my baby… T-tell her that I once w-was a good girl t-too…"

"Hanabi-chan…"

"I love you sister… I never stopped loving you," whispered the former heiress as she felt the last of her powers leave her body.

"Hanabi-chan…" Hinata heard the medics yell and then there was a piercing scream from a baby. "I… I love you Hanabi-chan."

"Take care of her nee-chan… Make her your daughter…" mumbled Hanabi as she closed her eyes, knowing that her baby was in good hands. "Don't let him take her…"

"I will t-take your c-child as my own.." promised Hinata as the grip around her hand began to soften. "And I promise that nobody will t-take her away from me."

"Nobody will take her from us," filled Gaara and Sasuke in, as their hands were placed upon the sisters joint ones.

Hanabi smiled and then there was one last sigh.

'_No, no… don't do this Hanabi… Y-you can't die…'_ Hinata silently cried as she felt the grip around her hand softened. She refused to believe that her sister had died. She couldn't die. Hanabi was the stronger one, she couldn't die!

••••••••••••••••••••

The baby's scream grew in strength as it was carried away for cleaning. Hinata refused to believe that Hanabi was dead. She talked to her baby sister as if she still was alive even if she didn't breathe any more.

Sasuke and Gaara tried to get Hinata to move away from her dead sister's body but it was in vain. Hinata refused to move from the bed.

Kurenai stepped into the room just as the baby had been cleaned and delivered to the trio. She wondered who would be the first to take the baby and somehow she wasn't surprised when Sasuke held out his arms and the baby was placed within his embrace. And nor was she surprised when Gaara stood up and caressed the cheek of the newborn Hyuuga-baby. The only one that didn't react to anything was Hinata. She was still mourning over her dead sister.

"Make sure that the boys get a good supply of milk before they leave. They're going to need it," said Kurenai softly to the medics who nodded and went about to do as the illusions-master asked.

"Hinata-chan," whispered Sasuke as he tried to get Hinata's attention. "S-she's gone…"

"NOOO!!!" screamed Hinata with a voice that was rough with emotions… "No… she's not dead… she's…. she's just s-sleeping.."

Gaara was the one that decided that Hinata needed to get away. He just nodded to Sasuke to take the baby and move out of the room. He saw Kurenai give him a bag of some sort and tell the Uchiha some mumbling words. Sasuke nodded and took the bag and went out of the room. Gaara put his fingers around Hinata's hand and pulled her away from her dead sister. Hinata screamed as if her heart had been ripped of her body as she was carried out of the room like a bag of potato.

"No, no, no, no…" cried Hinata as she reached forth for her sister as she herself was carried away. "Hanabi-chan…"

"Gaara-san, take care of Hinata," asked Kurenai as the sand-master passed her.

"We will," answered Gaara without looking at the genjutsu-master. "Make sure that her sister gets a honourable funeral."

"We will," said Kurenai and bowed before turning her red eyes towards the dead body in the bed.

Gaara nodded at that and carried the fighting Hinata out of the room of death. Once outside he managed to make a few seals and disappeared in a cloud of grainy sand. He had teleported himself and Hinata back to their house.

It wasn't long between their arrival and the arrival of Sasuke and the baby. Gaara carried Hinata to her bedroom and Sasuke followed as soon as he dumped the bag of mothers-milk replacement in the fridge. Then he carried the little baby who still cried softly and he was beginning to feel a bit nervous about it all.

But when he saw Gaara point at Hinata's room he forgot all about it and headed over to Hinata's quarters. He saw the white eyed woman sit on the bed with an apathy look on her face. Sasuke moved to sit between her knees and he pushed the baby against her chest but she just looked down and new tears formed in her eyes.

"Hanabi-chan…" whispered Hinata as she crawled back on her bed, sitting with her back against the head board.

"Hinata-chan, your sister is no longer of this world – but her daughter is…" said Sasuke as he saw Gaara come into the room with a baby-bottle. The Uchiha's instincts told him that the bottle consisted of the formula given them from the hospital.

"Hinata-chan, feed our baby," said Gaara as he watched Sasuke place the baby in Hinata's arms. He put the baby bottle into her hands and hoped that it would do the trick.

Hinata looked up as her arms got full of baby. She looked at Sasuke and she looked ad Gaara and they both motioned her to do something about the soft cries that came from the little child that had been placed in her arms.

"She needs you," said Sasuke as his hand cupped her cheek, gently stroking it with his thumb. "She's yours now… and if you will – she's ours… but for now – this little girl needs her auntie."

Somewhere within Sasuke's gentle words, Hinata finally found her sanity again and she looked down on the wrinkled little thing that was screaming for food. She got a baby-bottle shoved into her face by Gaara and she didn't have to ask what was in it.

"She's our little girl now, Hinata-chan… please take care of her," whispered Gaara as he moved closer and placed an arm around Hinata's shoulders.

"Hanabi-san knew that she was going to die… why else would she make sure that we were there with you, Hinata-chan?" said Sasuke as he sat down on Hinata's other side and placed an arm around her lower back.

"Hanabi-imouto… " mumbled Hinata as her arms went around the little life that had been placed in her care. "Imouto-chan… Look, how beautiful she is…"

"Yeah," whispered Sasuke as he watched the little bundle. Indeed it was a beautiful child. White eyes, midnight black hair and pale complexion. In a few years there would be nobody that would doubt that this little creature belonged to Hinata alone.

That she belonged to them…

••••••••••••••••••••

Hinata felt her chest contract once she looked down into the pale eyes that stared up at her. '_Hanabi-chan…'_ Hinata thought as her thumb brushed over the little girl. She felt something being placed in her right hand and she looked up a bit and noticed Gaara nod towards her hand – it was a baby bottle with something inside it.

"Feed her," said Gaara.

Once she put the bottle against the little girl's mouth she began to suck at it with earnest. And once that happened Hinata relaxed a bit and she made the little one lie just a little bit more comfortable in her arms. The white-eyed woman was unaware that her appearance was that of a holy mother at the moment. All she could think of was that this little creature needed love and protection and as Hinata continued to look at the little girl – the more convinced she got that she had to protect her.

••••••••••••••••••••

Sasuke and Gaara watched as Hinata placed the young baby against her chest and began to bottle-feed her. The image was that of the Holy Mother and her child and the both former homicidal boys just sighed in pure awe as they watched their (hopefully) future wife bottle-feed the little critter.

The image was so pure that even the former Kazekage could feel his heart quench a bit. He couldn't help it, he reached for Sasuke's hand and he could feel the Uchiha gently grasp his as they watched Hinata and the baby.

"Beautiful," whispered Sasuke breathlessly.

"Yeah… beautiful," agreed Gaara.

••••••••••••••••••••

Hinata was barely aware of the young men as they watched her move to lie down on the bed together with the little critter. She had fed her and she had made sure she burped accordingly. Tomorrow she had to make sure to buy diapers and other stuff that a baby would need. She looked at the now sleeping baby. The black jet hair trickled her palm as she tried to form some sort of do…. but it was in vain and Hinata smiled softly.

"So what kind of name would suit the heiress of the Hyuuga-throne?" Hinata asked as she closed her eyes and began to feel dowsy.


	10. Chapter 10

A very short, short one...  
WARNING:: Shounen-Ai in this little piece...

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There were a few chaotic days after that. Hinata was only seeing the baby. And if she ever stepped out of that she was talking about her sister. But in all she managed to wall her self into a small room were only she and the baby existed.

And that of course made both Gaara and Sasuke very worried. For a few days they let Hinata go on, but after the fifth day they were beginning to really worry about the former heiress. She acted as she lived in another world.

And don't forget that they really wanted to be a part of the baby's life too.

So a small plan was created. A picnic plan to be exact. Early next Sunday morning both Sasuke and Gaara went up early to make a picnic-basket. Tea, lemonade, sandwiches, cake and other goodies was made. Including a bowl of strawberries. Once they were finished they went to Hinata's room. They knocked on the door but received no answer.

Sasuke ignored the silence and opened the door and found Hinata on her back with the baby in her arms, sleeping on Hinata's chest.

"Take the basket and the baby," Sasuke said to Gaara.

The red haired young man nodded and gently pried the baby from Hinata's grasping arms. He heard the soft whine from the little critter but he just rocked her gently, and let a soft hum come over his lips. A sound that made the baby relax again.

"Are you ready?" asked Sasuke as he picked up the sleeping Hinata bridal style.

"I am," Gaara answered.

"You remember the place we talked about?"

"I do."

"Let's go there now."

Gaara nodded and watched Sasuke and Hinata disappear in a cloud of smoke and two seconds later he followed them.

Naruto, Ino and Sakura had told them about this place just a day earlier. It was within the boundaries of Konoha and yet it was so desolate that nobody very rarely visited this place. It was perfect for a "get-together".

They had prepared this spot since they learned about it. They had take just about everything in calculations. A small shed had been erected that housed blankets and if it was necessary, the four of them if rain or a thunderstorm would hit.

But as things looked now… it all would be perfect. Perfect to get Hinata out of her shell.

Sasuke arrived first at the spot and he gently placed Hinata against the large tree. Only a few seconds later, Gaara appeared with the little girl and the back pack.

"She's still asleep?" asked Gaara as he let the back pack slid to the ground.

"Yeah, I think so," answered Sasuke as he looked down on Hinata's face. Her eyes were still closed and she was breathing evenly. She showed every sign on being in deep sleep.

Gaara frowned for a moment before looking at Sasuke again.

"Do you think you can handle the baby too? Just so I can get the blanket out on the ground?" Gaara asked.

Sasuke nodded as he sat down with Hinata in his lap. He held her around the back with his right arm and had his left arm free, silently telling the sand-nin that he was ok to take on another cargo.

Gaara smiled as he placed the sleeping baby in Sasuke's arms and then he pulled back. For a moment he looked at the scenery and he couldn't help it.

Sasuke's eyes went wide when he felt Gaara's lips on his own, it was briefly but he had felt them.

"Gaara?" The raven haired young man questioned.

"Just a second." Gaara replied and found the blanket and unfolded it on the ground.

Once it was done he took the sleeping baby from Sasuke's hold. And again he brushed his lips over the former avenger's mouth.

"Why?" was Sasuke's question.

"Because I believe that if we're going to share Hinata – we're going to share each other too."

Sasuke sat down on the blanket with the sleeping Hinata in his arms. He tried to move her into a comfortable position.

"Did you dislike it?" Gaara's sandy voice asked.

Sasuke shook his head. No, he had not disliked it.

"I was just surprised that our connection would get physical." The black haired youth answered. "But I did not dislike it. Perhaps we should do it more often so we can get used to it?

The red haired former Kazekage just smiled.

"If you wish it," he said.

"Ahh, I wish it," Sasuke answered.

To Be Continued

A review or so would be nice.


	11. Chapter 11

A bit longer this time...  
I hope you enjoy it.

•••••••••••11•••••••••

Hinata felt slight chilly and she curled closer to the warmth that seemed to surround her back. She didn't want to wake up but then she heard a soft sound that brought her out of the sleep in two seconds flat.

"Asahi-chan!!!" Hinata called out as she tried to get out of the entanglement that seemed to have trapped her.

"Easy, Hinata-chan," a soft baritone voice close to Hinata's ear said.

"My baby!!" Hinata called out again.

"The baby is just fine, Gaara is with her," the voice said again.

Hinata turned her head slightly and only to find her very close to Sasuke's face.

"Sasuke-kun!!"

"What did you call her?" Gaara's voice made Hinata turn her head again.

The intense gaze from those aquamarine eyes made her blush and not to mention that she suddenly realized that she was sitting in Sasuke's lap and he was holding her gently.

She tried to find the words but all that happened was that she was stuttering like a madman.

"Take it easy, Hinata-chan. Just close your eyes and breathe deeply a couple of times," Sasuke said and rubbed her back.

Once Hinata realized that her niece was safe and there was nothing that threatened them she did as Sasuke said and she closed her eyes and breathed deeply a couple of times to get her soul to settle the turmoil that was making havoc with her inner being.

Her white eyes scanned the surrounding area and she found that they were residing quite far from the village.

"W-Where are we?" Hinata asked as she looked around.

"Our friends told us about this place. It's secluded and yet within Konoha's borders," Gaara said as he rocked the little girl in his arms.

Hinata's white eyes fell upon the little infant girl and she reached out her arms. "Give her to me!" she ordered.

"I think she likes being with Gaara," Sasuke said as he readjusted his grip on the former heiress.

Hinata's head turned again and if you ever could hear a lioness growl silently this would be the time. The rage in Hinata's eyes was enough to make Sasuke's skin crawl with fear.

"Hinata-chan, our baby is fine. Look, she's smiling," Gaara broke the heavy hostility in the air. He moved so the baby's face was showing clearly and you could see a little smile on the baby's face.

Hinata looked and she saw it but she wanted to have the baby within her arms. This was the last thing that kept her sister's memory alive. Again she held out her arms to make the young man to give the baby to her.

Gaara looked at Sasuke and the Uchiha nodded softly.

Gaara walked over to the two and handed over the baby to Hinata.

The Hyuuga-woman cradled the little baby within her embrace and she nuzzled the soft tufts of black hair on the baby's head.

"Asahi-chan… you're ok," mumbled Hinata as she made sure that the baby was alright.

"Asahi? You've named her Asahi?" Sasuke asked as he put a finger under Hinata's chin and made her look at him again.

Hinata nodded and tried to keep her blush down as she again realized that she was sitting in the Uchiha's lap.

"Asahi – Morning Sun…" Gaara translated as he moved to sit next Sasuke so he could be with them too.

"It suits her very well," Sasuke said.

"Even if she's your niece only, she will be yours…" Gaara said. "A place in the sun and yet this little one will be fireworks when she grows up…"

Tears appeared in Hinata's eyes as she heard her suitor's appreciation of the name she had given the baby.

Sasuke began to feel just a tad uncomfortable when he saw the tears forming in the Hyuuga's eyes and he mumbled something that he needed to stretch his legs a bit.

Hinata quickly moved from his lap and yet she looked curiously at the last of the Uchiha's and then her eyes turned to Gaara. There was something in the air she could feel it and it had nothing to do with her or the baby.

"Sasuke… you're ok?" Gaara asked as he followed the suit and got up as well.

"Yeah… just got stiff," mumbled Sasuke as he gave the red haired sand nin a apologetic smile.

Hinata blinked in confusion.

Yes, there was definitive something more going on here.

"Hinata-chan, do you want some tea?" Sasuke asked to break the silence.

Hinata blinked again and looked at the raven haired young man.

"Tea… do you want some tea, Hinata-chan?" Sasuke asked again.

"Mmm," Hinata nodded without taking her eyes from him.

With practiced movements Sasuke soon had three cups of tea made for them all. He held out one cup to Hinata and one for Gaara and then one for himself.

Hinata sat on the edge of the blanket and watched Gaara and Sasuke interact with each other.

She saw how gently their fingers touched as Sasuke handed over the cup to the sand nin; she could see how the red haired ninja nodded with a soft look in his eyes as he watched the raven haired Uchiha moved to sit next to him on the blanket.

All this made her suspicious and she hated not knowing. Especially now after she have been freed from the clutches of imprisonment. She might be naïve but she wasn't a fool. She could see that there was something going on between the two handsome ninjas.

"Cake?"

Sasuke's voice brought her out of her stupor and she looked at the black eyed young man and saw that he held out a small plate with a piece of cake on it.

Now Hinata couldn't hold it back any longer.

"W-what's going on here?" she asked as she took the plate.

"What do you mean Hinata-chan?" Gaara asked back as he too was given a small plate with some cake on it.

Hinata just shook her head a bit as she looked between the two and then she diverted her gaze to the small child in her arms.

"Something has happened… please tell me w-what it is," she spoke quietly.

"Let's tell her the truth, Sasuke-kun," Gaara said as he realized that Hinata had picked up on what ever had transpired just a half an hour ago.

Sasuke nodded and reached out a hand to Gaara and the red haired sand nin took it without hesitation. Finger interlaced with each other.

Sasuke swallowed hard and tried to find words that would explain their situation without freaking the poor Hyuuga out of her mind.

"Uhm… you know that we basically proposed to you right?" Sasuke started and he could feel Gaara's grip tightened slightly.

Hinata blinked as she took the words to her heart. Yes it was the truth… they had proposed to her and she had yet to answer them. So she nodded.

"And we've reached a mutual ground when it comes down to each other as well," Sasuke continued.

Hinata raised a curious eyebrow.

"Skip the shit Uchiha," Gaara growled.

"If you decide to be with us…. We want you to know that Gaara and I want to be with each other too…"

The words from Sasuke were rushed but he didn't stutter or kept them low.

Hinata's mouth fell open as the word was spilled.

"Y-you mean?" Hinata tried to form her words.

"Yes…" Sasuke said without hesitation.

Gaara intervened and placed a hand on Hinata's arm.

"We want to be there for each other just as we'll be there for you," Gaara said.

"B-but that…" Hinata began.

"The rumours already speak of us in that matter," Sasuke said as his hand came to rest over Gaara's. "They already think that Gaara and I live together in such a relationship and…" Sasuke looked towards Gaara with a soft smile. "… And I wouldn't mind being with him in such a way either…."

Hinata's mouth fell open in shock.

"We three belong together Hinata-chan, no matter what everyone else says," Gaara said.

"And Asahi-chan is ours to protect and cherish and when the time comes I hope we can give her a few siblings too," Sasuke told Hinata.

'_I'm dreaming right… this is just a dream…'_ Hinata thought as she looked back and forth between Sasuke and Gaara. Their otherwise so hard and serious faced showed nothing but love and care for Hinata and the baby. '_I'm in another world…'_

"Please, Hinata-chan…. accept us," Gaara said as he put his tea-cup down and moved to sit next to the white eyed young woman.

"Let us be a family," Sasuke continued as he followed Gaara's suit and put his cup down and moved to sit on Hinata's other side.

They put their arms around Hinata as their free hands encircled the baby and Hinata.

Hinata could feel her heart fly up into her throat and she tried to swallow hard.

How could she deny them and their wishes?

'_If you accept them you will always have protection,'_ a voice spoke.

'_If you accept them you will always have someone that will be there for you,'_ another voice said.

'_If you accept them you will never be afraid ever again…'_ a third voice spoke.

Hinata's eyes went back and forth, trying to find deceit in their eyes and she couldn't find anything of the sort. The only thing she could see was love and protection and she felt her heart constrict and she closed her eyes. Hot tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Hinata-chan?" Sasuke asked concerned.

"Hinata!!" Gaara called out.

But Hinata just choked on her breath a few times before opening her eyes and…

"I accept… I accept you…"

TO BE CONTINUED

A few explantions to the names:

Hinata A place in the sun; Basking in the sun.  
Asahi Morning Sun  
Hanabi Fireworks

Reviews makes me happy.


	12. Chapter 12

•••••••••••12 •••••••••

Sasuke couldn't describe the joy he felt when he heard Hinata's soft words. She had accepted their offer. She had accepted the feelings between him and Gaara as well. He could see her acceptance in those pearly depths as she tried to blink away her tears.

"Hinata-chan, we're both very happy to hear your answer," Gaara said as he leaned his head against Hinata's shoulder.

And when Sasuke followed Gaara's example, the former heiress began to blush furiously. The closeness to the two handsome young men, the warmth, the words, it was all getting to her head faster than you could sneeze.

"Nothing could have made us happier, Hinata-chan," Sasuke agreed as he let a small smile graze his lips as he tilted his head up and placed a soft kiss on her reddening cheek.

"Agreed," Gaara mumbled and did the same.

_'I'm going to faint,'_ Hinata thought as she felt her heart race towards a critical state.

But Hinata's exit via fainting was disrupted as Asahi voiced her opinion. The little girl was hungry and wanted to be fed.

Sasuke laughed softly and moved away and began to prepare the bottle with milk for the little girl. And his smile became a little bit wider as the screams echoed over the glade. The girl surely had a set of lungs that could rival Naruto's.

Gaara fell into the laughs of the Uchiha and he lifted the baby from Hinata's hold and did something that made the Hyuuga to just gap.

Gaara lifted Asahi a bit and then burrowed his head into the baby's stomach, making a purring sound. The baby went silent and looked down at the red haired figure. Gaara repeated it and again until the little girl was blowing bubbles as she made her happy sounds.

Sasuke just chuckled a bit as he heard the happy sounds from Asahi and not to mention the shocked look on Hinata's face.

"Never judge a book by its cover," Sasuke said as he gave Gaara the bottle of warmed up milk. Two seconds later Gaara had placed the baby so he could feed her with ease.

Hinata just nodded as she watched the red haired sand demon... she shook her head. He was not a demon. This was Gaara, one of her two saviours, that wanted to be with her...

Her stomach knotted up again. Her eyes were once again filled with tears as the knowledge began to root inside her heart. She felt a hand on her cheek and she moved her head to look at the raven haired young man next to her.

"Hinata-chan, promise me that you will always speak your mind with us," Sasuke said as he had watched the emotionally display on Hinata's face. His hand gently caressed her cheek, waiting for her to give them their answer.

Hinata gulped down her heart that was beating in her throat and then she nodded.

"I... I will," she answered.

"Good, now... let us enjoy this picnic," said Sasuke as he handed over a rice-ball to the blushing Hyuuga-woman.

Gaara smiled in secret as he watched Hinata and Sasuke talk. Hinata really needed some more confidence. She needed somewhat more spine and yet, her shyness was just that very thing that made up her personality.

And once Gaara had fed the little critter with milk, Sasuke took her and patted her back until there was the normal little burp. After that Asahi was given back to Hinata.

"See... we know a little about babies," Gaara said with a smile that was more like a smirk.

Hinata couldn't help it. She began to laugh whole heartedly. Her soon to be lovers certainly had a way with words that she never had expected.

"It's nice to hear you laugh, Hinata-chan," said Sasuke as he made sure that Asahi had burped as she should before handing over the girl to Hinata.

"You had us quite worried when you closed up your self after your sister's demise," Gaara continued.

New tears began to appear in Hinata's eyes but they were soon blinked away.

"I... I'm very sorry," Hinata whispered in defeat. "I... I really d-didn't mean too..."

"We understand more than you know, Hinata-chan," Sasuke said as he lifted a cup of ice-tea to his lips and sipped some. He could see that Gaara did the same just a few seconds later.

Hinata just blinked with a rather foolish smile.

"So... let us be a family from now on...?" She said with a soft voice.

"I agree with that," said Sasuke.

"I agree with that too," said Gaara.

They all sat there with a rather foolish smile on their lips looking back and forth at each other. Until Hinata couldn't hold it back and she began to laugh again.

Hinata felt at ease in a way she had not felt since her mother was alive. And it was all because of Gaara and Sasuke. They had given this to her. She just wanted to kiss them but as it was at the moment she couldn't because they were fooling around with Asahi.

The two most fearsome ninjas in the wind and fire-country were playing around with a baby. If anyone saw them their reputation would be at stake, but neither Sasuke nor Gaara could care at the moment.

This was heaven if you asked them and with them they had a white-eyed angel. Nothing could be better right now.

"YO!"

If there ever were a time when Sasuke wished that his former mentor and teacher could just drop dead – this would be it. Not that Sasuke ever would show any emotions towards anybody except Hinata and Gaara so...

"Kakashi-san, what brings you here?" asked Sasuke as he tried not to strangle the man that had taught him the secrets behind the Chidori amongst many other things. The masked pervert really had no timing if you asked the last of the Uchiha's.

A soft chuckle came from the masked jounin as he jumped down from the tree he had first lounged in.

"Hokage-sama wants you and her to go on a mission. Ever since your return you've been the talk of the town, Sasuke-kun," said Kakashi as he closed his book and put it into his weapon-pocket.

"Can't the old lady use someone else?" Sasuke asked as his lip curled upwards.

"Afraid not, I've been ordered to retrieve you," said Kakashi as he used his one eye to roam over the trio. "And I'm very sorry indeed. So, Hyuuga-san, have the boys proposed to you yet?"

Hinata answered with a violent blush which was answer enough for the masked copy-ninja. He chuckled and fished up his book again.

"When ever you're ready Sasuke-kun," he said as he flipped open the newest edition of Icha Icha Paradise.

There had been quite the few times when Gaara felt that he wanted to kill people, but never as much as now when the Copy Cat Ninja opened his damned pork-trap. The masked bastard interrupted their little quality-time and that did not go well with the red haired sand-nin.

"Do you know what the mission is about?" asked Sasuke as he rose to his feet and stretched his legs a bit.

"No clue what so ever, but then again – I never can tell with that woman," said Kakashi with a glint in his eye.

"Very well then," said Sasuke as he lowered his head and kissed Asahi's cheek, and then he moved over to kiss Hinata on her lips and then he moved to kiss Gaara just as quickly. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Kakashi's visible eye widened when he saw Sasuke kiss the former Kazekage on the lips. _'I think I have missed something here,'_ he thought as he tried to keep his surprise under check. And the thought became more valid as he saw the trio grab each other hands before parting.

"Let's go," Sasuke said as he reluctantly turned his back against Hinata, Gaara and the baby.

Kakashi nodded and two seconds later they were gone.

Hinata couldn't help but worry about what kind of mission awaited Sasuke. She felt Gaara's hand on hers and she looked at the red haired sand ninja.

"I'm sure it's an easy mission," Gaara said, trying to comfort the white eyed young woman. He could see that she was upset that Sasuke had been taken away from her, from them. And to tell the truth, so was Gaara, but he didn't show it because he didn't want to worry Hinata more than necessary.

Even Asahi could feel the tension that suddenly was building up in her mother and she began to cry. Gaara handed over the baby to Hinata and it took her a few minutes before she managed to calm the little girl.

"If you want, we can go to the Hokage to find out what she wanted with Sasuke?" Gaara suggested as he brushed a few wild strands of hair from Asahi's face.

Hinata nodded almost violently.

"Let's pack up and then head for the Hokage's tower," Gaara continued.

Tsunade watched the young Uchiha heir as he stood proud on the other side of her desk. He looked as if he really wanted to be somewhere else at the moment.

"Uchiha-san, you know that you left Konoha and became a missing nin?" Tsunade started.

"Yes," answered Sasuke.

"You betrayed Konoha with that act."

"I know."

"What are you plans now that you're brother is out of the picture?" asked Tsunade.

"To wed Hyuuga, Hinata together with Sabaku no Gaara and make Hyuuga, Asahi as our daughter," answered Sasuke.

Tsunade blinked and then she looked at the jounin, Kakashi, for confirmation and the masked man just nodded in reply.

But Tsunade really couldn't grasp the fact the Uchiha-youth said to her.

"Come again," she said.

"I want to wed Hyuuga, Hinata together with Sabaku no Gaara, " Sasuke said agin.

Tsunade blinked.

"Come again."

"You heard me, Hokage-sama," growled Sasuke.

Tsunade just blinked again.

"You mean that you want to wed both Hinata-chan and the former Kazekage?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes." Sasuke answered.

"But the former Kazekage is a man," Tsunade pointed out.

"I know," answered Sasuke. "And Hinata-chan is aware of my feelings for Gaara and she knows about his feelings for me and yet she has accepted us."

"W-what?" Tsunade stuttered.

"Hinata-chan knows and she accept it, she has accepted it all so what's the problem, _HOKAGE-SAMA?"_ Sasuke asked.

"Well... Uhm... " Tsunade started.

"If there's nothing else, my I take my leave?" asked Sasuke.

Tsunade cleared her throat before calling out once again.

"Do you think she wants to carry on the sharingan-bloodline?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I want to be with Hinata-chan and Gaara. If she wants to be the mother of my children so be it – but I will not ever force her to carry them. But she is the one that I want to be with," Sasuke said as he grabbed hold of the door.

"Until next time Hokage-sama," Sasuke said as he left the Hokage's office.

Tsunade just blinked as the raven haired youth walked out of her office.

"KAKASHI!!!" she called out after a few seconds.

"Yes mam?" he answered.

Tsunade swallowed the bile in her throat.

"Did you know about this?" she asked.

"Not until today," Kakashi answered truthfully.

"Is it a trick?"

"No, I don't think so. Sasuke-kun has feelings for both the Hyugga-girl and Gaara," Kakashi said.

"You're sure about this?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes," Kakashi answered without hesitation.

"Do you think there will be children out of this?"

"Yes," was Kakashi's answer.

"Good, I don't need you any more so go back and do... what ever you do when you're free and off duty," Tsunade growled.

T B C


	13. Chapter 13

Trollmia's ramblings: I know – it's been like forever since I updated this story…. But I hope you'll be satisfied with this chapter. I tried to make it really long and with both angst, romance, cuteness and humour.

•••••••••••13•••••••••

Tsunade sat at her desk; she was still baffled from what she just heard from the Uchiha. Never in her life would she have thought that the stuck up brat would have made such a turning point in his life. She called in Shizune; she needed to talk to her friend about this.

"Tsunade-sama, you called?" Shizune said as she peeked through the door.

"Come in Shizune, I need to talk to you," Tsunade said and waved in the black haired woman into her office.

"Of course Tsunade-sama," Shizune said and came in and closed the door behind her.

"Lock it please and then go over to the archive shelf, under V you'll find something Very strong; we'll going to need it."

Shizune's dark eyes widened and then she sent a scolding look at Tsunade.

"Don't say anything," Tsunade mumbled. "But trust me – we're going to need this."

The Godaime Hokage sounded so serious that Shizune choose to overlook the "stash-thing" and she went to get it. She saw Tsunade put two small cups on her desk.

"It's must be something serious?" Shizune questioned.

"Serious? Perhaps... it's more of a very weird thing and I have yet to fully grasp it and accept it," Tsunade said truthfully and rubbed her forehead.

Shizune watched her friend and leader pour them sake into the two cups and nodded a thank you as Tsunade gave her one of the cups. With a nod they drank the strong rice wine and let out a sound that said it was just that – strong.

"Tsunade-sama, please tell me what is going on," Shizune pleaded.

The honey blonde woman sighed again and looked at her friend.

"Well, you know about Gaara-san and Sasuke-san wanting to wed the former Hyuuga woman right?" Tsunade started.

Shizune confirmed with a nod as she watched Tsunade pour them more sake.

"And we all know about them wanting to be a family and adopt Hanabi-san's daughter as theirs too?"

Again Shizune nodded and took the cup with sake.

Tsunade drank the next cup and Shizune followed her example.

"Well, did you know that Sasuke and Gaara intends to be involved with each other too?"

Shizune's eyes widened and she sprayed sake all over Tsunade's desk.

"Obviously you didn't know that," Tsunade snorted behind a smile. "Well, I didn't either until I called the Uchiha here for a mission. But his news caught me off guard and I let him go."

Shizune wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and she reached for the bottle and poured herself some more sake and this time she managed to get it all down. Dammit – she had never been so surprised in her whole life. This was even more crushing news than Tsunade betting her necklace against Naruto.

"Good news or bad news, Shizune?" asked Tsunade.

Shizune sighed and closed her eyes trying to grasp the new knowledge.

"I really don't know Tsunade-sama," she said truthfully.

But Tsunade suddenly got a mischievous smile on her face, a smile that made Shizune grasp for the bottle again. Her leader was planning something.

"Just imagine if Hinata becomes the mother of the Uchiha's children and Sabaku no Gaara's children... what kind of strength wouldn't they be for Konoha?" Tsunade rubbed her palms together and snickered.

"Tsunade-sama, may I remind you that they are not wedded yet," Shizune pointed out dryly.

Tsunade waved her hand casually. "It's just a matter of time my dear Shizune. From what I saw in the Uchiha's eyes there will not be long until he weds them both and we will have little sand using red heads with the Byakugan and little black haired children that can wield the Sharingan. And with Hinata as their mother their hearts will be just and loving."

Shizune just shook her head but she agreed with the Hokage. The blend of Hinata, Gaara and Sasuke would provide with some strong future ninjas for Konoha village. But even if things were quiet now, there was still the matter of the rogue-Hyuuga. That man was a threat towards Konoha and most definitively towards Hinata.

"But what will the rest of the village say about their union? They are already talking down on Sasuke-kun and Gaara-kun living together," Shizune pointed out.

"Well, they will just have to deal with it or they will have to deal with the Hokage, their leader," Tsunade said lightly before looking really smug.

Shizune really didn't like that look. Nothing sane came out of her friend when she was looking like that.

"What are you thinking about Tsunade-sama?" Shizune inquired.

"Ohh, nothing... nothing... well... now... when do you think the wedding will be held?"

○○○○○○○

And with Kakashi being the blubber mouth of the century – the news about the trio getting married was spreading like a wild fire on the savannah.

○○○○○○○

Naruto was sulking. He had just learned that Sakura finally had given in to Rock Lee's persistence and given him permission to court her. They were going on a date later this week. Lee wouldn't stop talking about it and it hurt Naruto. He had loved Sakura for so long and when he finally thought she had given up on Sasuke the bastard had returned. But not to claim Sakura as his, no, no... he had chosen the timid little Hyuuga-girl that everyone had thought to be dead. And in all the chaos that followed – it was Lee that finally had caught the strawberry blonde young woman.

So Naruto was sulking. He was sulking at one of Konoha's bars hoping to drown his sorrows in beer. He was on his fifth bottle when he heard someone call his name. He looked up and saw Iruka stand there with a gentle smile on his lips.

Naruto's blue eyes shined up for a bit and invited his former teacher to join him at the table.

Iruka had seen the blond Kyuubi-container sit alone through the window. And the look on the young man's face was not a happy one. And feeling as if he was Naruto's foster-father he decided to make sure that his "son" was alright.

"Hey Iruka-sensei... what's up?" Naruto asked as he waved to a waiter to come to their table. He asked for two new beers and received a nod in return.

"I saw you sit here alone and I thought I would drop in and ask why," Iruka said straight forward. He kept his dark eyes on his "son", reading in every bit of facial expression.

"Well... I don't know if you heard it yet..." Naruto said and gulped down the rest of the beer in his bottle.

"Heard what? Oh you mean the wedding between Sasuke, Hinata and Gaara? I think it's rather cute that Sasuke have decided to wed them both."

Beer shower!!

"**WHAT??!**" Naruto yelled once he found his wits and voice again.

"Ehh, that was not what you were thinking about?" Iruka asked.

"**Hell no!!** But what do you mean that Sasuke-teme is marrying Gaara?? I know they wanted to be with Hinata... but each other?" Naruto continued. Now Sasuke and Gaara was going to have each other too and not just the timid little Hinata. '_Great, as if I needed to know that.. especially now when I feel like shit run over!!'_

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew already," Iruka excused himself. If this was not bother his son, then what could it be? But before he could ask Naruto more questions he could see Gai run pass the window shouting something about his protégé Lee and his newfound love with a certain pink haired kunoichi and then everything fell into place for Iruka.

Naruto made a face and grabbed the new bottle of beer and gulped it down with fierce speed.

"I see... so she chose Lee then?" Iruka mumbled softly as he watched Naruto's face contort in pain.

Naruto swallowed and wiped his mouth.

"Yeah... she chose the thick browed green beast... **DAMN IT!!** I really thought I could get her but then the bastard had to show up and cause havoc all around the village and then the green assed Lee just had to cut in and take her away!!" Naruto ranted on.

"Naruto, have you never thought of anyone else? I mean you have only seen Sakura for so long but you should know that there are other girls in this village that is just as cute and beautiful as her," Iruka tried to soothe the ranting blond.

Naruto snorted and took a few more gulps of his beer. At this rate he would be smashed drunk before three o clock.

"Have any chicks in mind Iruka-sensei?"

"Well, there's Yamanaka Ino... Tenten..." Iruka mumbled.

"Che... You might think I'm blind but I'm not. Ino has a thing for Choji even if one wouldn't believe it and Tenten is never going to give up on that bastard Neji even if he's queer and never would look at her as a woman, just a sister or something."

Ok, that was news to Iruka. Then he really had no idea who he should suggest to the fox-boy.

"I'm sorry Naruto.."

"Don't worry Iruka-sensei... just let me get drunk and I will forget all about it in the morning," Naruto said with a grim face.

Iruka doubted that. Perhaps he should talk to the Hokage about this, that woman could perhaps help out in finding a girl for his Naruto?

"Somehow I doubt that," Iruka said and placed a hand over Naruto's. "But don't give up. There is someone out there for you too, you just haven't found that person yet."

Naruto smiled a bit at this. "You know how damn cliché that sounds?"

Iruka chuckled.

"Yeah... I know... but it is the truth you know."

"If Iruka-sensei say so... I will believe in it," Naruto said and looked sincerely at his former teacher. "If Iruka-tousan says so.. I know it is the truth."

Iruka felt his eyes moisten and he got up and walked around the table and hauled Naruto to his feet and hugged him tightly.

"And never forget this Naruto. I will never lie to you... I promise you this as your father," Iruka whispered in Naruto's ear.

Naruto was moved by Iruka's words and he hugged the tanned man tightly.

"Thanks, Iruka-tousan."

"Do you want me to stay here with you?"

"Nahh, I will get drunk but the damn furball will never let me get through a complete drunken state. I will be alright in a couple of hours or so," Naruto said as he moved away from Iruka. "Besides, don't you have some paperwork to do?"

"If you need anyone I always be there for you Naruto," Iruka said.

"I know and I am grateful for it."

And with that Iruka hugged the young man once again and then left, leaving Naruto to drown his sorrows once again. The blond was just too damn stubborn sometimes but Iruka knew he had to talk to someone about this but he really didn't know who he could talk too.

The answer came just right outside the bar in the form of a certain Uchiha Sasuke.

○○○○○○○

Sasuke had met up with Gaara and Hinata just before they were about to leave the glade with Asahi. He told them about what happened with the Hokage and they all laughed together. It was not always you could shock that person out of her wits. Especially not when she had said she had a mission for you.

So Sasuke didn't have to go on a mission which made Hinata sigh in relief. She knew that she eventually would have to start taking missions herself and that both Sasuke and Gaara were going on missions too, but for now – she just wanted them to be together. So much had happen in so little time that she had yet to adapt to it all.

She saw Gaara carry the little baby gently in his arms and Hinata herself was between both Gaara and Sasuke. She could feel Sasuke's arm go around her shoulders, keeping her close to him. She had to admit – even if things had been rushed the last month and a half – she felt as if she belonged. For once in her life she really belonged somewhere.

They had decided to go shopping before they got home and thus of course making a lot of people stare at them as they walked through the village of Konoha. They had no idea of what had spread through the streets as they walked calmly towards the nearest shop. But what they did notice was a blond practically being thrown out of one of the bars. Sasuke released his hold on Hinata's shoulders and ran towards the blond.

"**NARUTO!!**" He shouted as he caught the whiskered faced man before he fell to the ground.

"Ehh... Teme... w-what [hic are you d-doing [hic here?" Naruto mumbled as he grabbed hold of Sasuke's shirt to keep himself somewhat steady on his feet.

"Naruto-kun, what happened?" It was Hinata's soft voice coming from behind and Naruto swirled around to look at the timid little Hyuuga.

"Hinata-chan... I heard [hic about the g-good news... c-congra... congr... what ever that w-word is [hic you know..." Naruto smiled foolishly. "S-so... you're going to be married to these two g-goons[hic I'm haaaapy for ya..."

"Che, he's drunk of his ass..." Sasuke stated. "Let's take him home before he hurt himself."

"Gaara-kun, go head and take Asahi-chan and the groceries home. We'll be home shortly with Naruto-kun. He needs our help," Hinata spoke softly as she grabbed one of Naruto's arms and put it over her shoulders and noticed that Sasuke did the same on the other side.

Gaara nodded and managed to do a couple of hand signs even with his load and teleported back to their house. And he left before he could hear the people surrounding them mumble something about an insatiable Hyuuga that needed three men to satisfy her needs.

Unfortunately for the people there was one that did hear them and it was not Sasuke nor was it Naruto. It was Hinata that heard them and it made her sad and angry at the same time.

"Sasuke-kun... please take Naruto-kun home," she whispered softly but there was a tone that said that you should not go against her.

Sasuke nodded and teleported back to the house without questioning his future wife.

Hinata closed her eyes and swallowed a couple of times. She had heard the whispers and they had been none too kind. She didn't care of what they said about her, but the whispers also talked ill about Gaara, Sasuke and Naruto and that was nothing she would tolerate. She took a couple of deep breaths before opening her eyes again.

And then Hinata turned around to face the people.

○○○○○○○

It was Tenten that brought the news to Neji as he sat in Hiashi's old office trying to sort out everything that had happened after Hinata's supposed death. He looked at the weapon's master as if she had grown a second head.

"Hinata-sama... did what?" He asked again.

Tenten sighed and told him the story once again.

"I said that Hinata went crazy and made almost a whole block paralyzed, and with that I mean she cut off their chakra points so they couldn't use their arms and legs, only because the people said some bad things about the Uchiha, Gaara and Naruto. She just went crazy. One man said that she looked like an Amazon with the voice of a banshee and then she shouted something about never talking down on her fiancées and friends again. And according to another person, she also stated that they could say anything they wanted about her, but never about her friends.

Neji dragged his fingers through his black hair. This was bad. What would the Hokage think about this? Surely Hinata would be punished for this kind of action? And how the hell had his little timid cousin found such courage to perform such an act in the first place?

He needed to talk to the Hokage and he needed to talk to her now.

"Thank you Tenten. I'm glad you told me," he said and rubbed his eyes. "I need to go to the Hokage tower now. I need to speak with Tsunade-sama."

Tenten nodded but you could see that she was a bit sad. He still didn't see her. Now she was just a messenger and before that she was his team mate and companion but never anything else than that. '_Why can't you see me?'_ she silently asked as she disappeared in a pillar of smoke.

○○○○○○○

Hinata appeared in their home just fifteen minutes after Gaara and Sasuke. Naruto had been put to bed and Gaara was just going to give Asahi-chan her bath when Hinata arrived. Sasuke looked at her and she blushed darkly.

"What happened?" asked Sasuke as he walked over and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Uhm..." Hinata looked down. How could she explain this to her mates? "I... I'll tell you l-later? R-right now... c-can you make some tea Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke nodded and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before turning around and go into the kitchen to carry out her wishes. Something had happened just after he had left with Naruto but he didn't know what it was. But he was confident that Hinata would tell them once she was ready to do so.

Inside the bathroom you could hear an infant's laughs and gurgles as Gaara tried to give Asahi her bath. She splashed water all around her, drowning both herself and one of her father's in water. Not to mention the floor and the walls surrounding them. But Gaara didn't mind. Never in his life had he thought that he would enjoy this kind of thing, but being with Asahi, taking care of her – it was the best thing ever. And thoughts of having more children suddenly felt very exhilarating.

Gaara had now something that he never had before – a family. Sure, he had tried to form some bonds with his sister and brother, but they still feared him for the creature that he once was. This was something completely knew. He had a soon to be wife that accepted him without hesitation, he had a soon to be husband that also accepted him and he had a daughter that seem to love to drench him with water. Gaara couldn't be any happier at this very moment. He smiled softly as he picked up Asahi from the tub and cuddled a large towel around her body and carried her into Hinata's room to get some clothes for the child.

Gaara could hear Sasuke ask Hinata about what happened but she didn't answer him, instead there was a familiar sound of someone roaming around in the kitchen and suddenly Gaara could feel a knot form inside his stomach. He was worried. But he swallowed it down as he found a clean diaper and clothes for Asahi. He talked softly to the girl as he did this just to keep her calm, but also to keep himself calm.

Once Gaara came into the dining room he walked over to Hinata and placed the newly bathed girl in Hinata's arms and moved to help Sasuke with what ever he was doing in the kitchen. He had a bad feeling about this.

○○○○○○○

Neji watched in horror as he recited the story that Tenten had told him. He could almost hear the fate of his cousin as he told the story to the Hokage. But instead of looking grim and ready to deliver a death sentence to his cousin, the Hokage had begun laughing. And I do mean laughing, like a maniac. Her laughs roared throughout the halls of the Hokage tower, alerting both people and other creatures that resided in it.

"H-Hokage-sama?" Neji stuttered.

"**DAMN IT!!** That girl is just too much. I never thought she had it in her but damn…!!" Tsunade wiped a few tears from her eyes.

"Ehh?" Neji just looked dumb.

"Ohh… Kami… that was good…"

"H-Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade giggled a little bit more before she cleared her throat and looked the new Hyuuga-heir in his eyes.

"Don't worry Hyuuga-sama, nothing will happen to your cousin. Those petty little bastards just got what was coming for them. I am sure they will not do anything and if they do – they will have to deal with me," Tsunade said.

"B-but…" Neji started.

"But what Hyuuga-sama?"

"But she hurt citizens of Konoha?"

"Yes, and they most likely deserved it. You should be glad that your cousin finally can take actions of her own. It will prove that she's a strong kunoichi that will take shit from no one!"

Neji bit his lip. He was still worried about what would happen after this. Tsunade could almost see his worry and she stood up and walked around her desk and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you worry about your cousin Neji. But trust me – this will only gain Hinata-chan more reputation as a ninja. She will be known as a force to be reckoned with and not the frail little heiress that barely could say two words without stuttering. And since I'm the ruling head of this village – I will not punish her for this. She's going to be alright."

Neji nodded and he trusted his leader. But still….

His doubts were cut off when Tsunade began to giggle again. And this time there was another sound blended with the giggle. He looked up and saw a white haired man with a wart on his nose stand outside the window.

"Damn – don't tell me that…. That the little Hyuuga-girl did that??" the white haired man asked as he tried to keep his some what calm face.

"She did… she's tough…" Tsunade confirmed.

"Jiraiya-sama," Neji gasped.

"The one and the same… Congratulations to the new title… Hyuuga-sama," Jiraiya bowed. "Words and news travel fast these days. I'm glad you finally made it. And I can see that you found that scroll that removed your curse-seal."

Neji's hand flew up and rubbed his forehead in a pure instinctive manner, but the seal was gone. He was no longer under the influence of the main branch. He was the main branch now.

"I also heard that you have removed all the curse seals on the other Hyuuga's as well. A good choice my young man. You will have their loyalty forever now." Jiraiya said as he climbed through the window. "Now say… is there something good to drink in this joint or what?"

○○○○○○○

Naruto rubbed his head. Dammit – his head was hurting. There had been a very few accounts when he had suffered from a hangover but none had been as severe as this one. He opened his eyes slowly only to see that he wasn't somewhere he recognized.

He rose slowly from the bed as he took in his surroundings. He knew the smells and he knew that Gaara, Sasuke and Hinata were around. But there was a fourth smell he didn't recognized and he scratched his blond head a bit. But since three out of four smells were familiar he was sure that he was at Sasuke's place.

"How do you feel?"

Naruto's head shot up and saw Sasuke stand in the doorway.

"I just wonder who ate cat-shit with my mouth…" Naruto mumbled.

"I can understand that. You were pretty drunk when we picked you up from the street," Sasuke said and walked over to Naruto. He handed him a glass of water and two pain killers. "What happened?"

"Just needed to get wasted for once," Naruto said as he took the offerings and gulped them down in two seconds.

Sasuke sat down next to Naruto on the bed. He looked at the blond with dark, sad eyes.

"Are we still friends Naruto?" he asked.

"You really need to ask me that?" Naruto snorted.

"Yes… I did tried to kill you… remember?"

"Dammit Sasuke!! Of course we're still friends. Otherwise I would have kicked your butt into Konoha prison by now," Naruto growled.

"Then if we're still friends… please tell me what happened."

Naruto rubbed his eyes before drinking the last of the water. "I really don't know if I should tell you…"

Sasuke gritted his teeth before asking. "Please?"

Naruto sighed and looked at his long lost best friend. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah," Sasuke answered.

"I lost her… I lost her to Lee," Naruto said.

Sasuke blinked. What was Naruto saying.

"Lee was so persistent that Sakura-chan gave in. She's dating thick brows now."

Sasuke blinked again as the information passed through his grey cells.

"You're kidding me?"

Naruto shook his blond head. "Nope… they're dating now."

Sasuke inhaled deeply. He had really thought that Sakura would turn to Naruto now that he himself had found both Hinata and Gaara. But obviously he was wrong.

"And you have Hinata-chan and Gaara… Ino is doing that thing with Chouji… Neji is queer and Tenten is in love with that said queer and Temari is with lazy ass Shika… And I am alone… again."

Naruto looked so devastated that Sasuke couldn't help it. He put his arm around Naruto's shoulders and pulled him closer.

"Dammit Naruto… you should never think like that. You are never alone. You will always have us and you know it you damn fool!!" Sasuke hissed.

Naruto laughed softly but let the raven haired man comfort him. It felt good. He always had felt a connection to Sasuke. They were brothers no matter what blood they carried.

"Yeah, I know that… but Sakura-chan has always been my love… and now she's taken… then who will I pick to try and court now?" Naruto mumbled.

"I don't know Naruto… but I'm sure you'll find someone. Someone better that deserves your love."

Naruto sighed as he relaxed.

"Get back to bed. Let those pain killers do their work now… ok?"

Naruto nodded and let Sasuke move him back down on the bed. But before Sasuke could leave Naruto grabbed his wrist and made him look at him.

"Thanks Sasuke."

"You're welcome, dobe."

T B C

I know everything goes very slowly… but I have not given up on this story yet. And I know that a few just put their fingers in their throat about the Sasuke/Gaara relationship along with Hinata. Now this is my story and I will write it as I please. There have been warnings and if you do not like it, don't read it.

Pairings so far.  
Sasuke/Hinata/Gaara – this we all know.  
Shikamaru/Temari  
Chouji/Ino  
Lee/Sakura  
Hinted Kakashi/Kurenai.

Now Naruto is all alone… since I love the blond I want him to have someone… ideas?


End file.
